enough to forbeare Reproaches and even Cursings of Me in their owne formes instead of praying for Me. I wish their Repentance may be their onely punishment that seeing the mischiefs which the disuse of publique Liturgies hath already produced they may restore that credit use and reverence to them which by the ancient Churches were given to Set Formes of sound and wholsome words And thou O Lord which art the same God blessed for ever whose mercies are full of variety and yet of constancy Thou deniest us not a new and fresh sense of our old and daily wants nor despisest renewed affections joyned to constant expressions Let us not want the benefit of thy Churches united and wel-advised Devotions Let the matters of our prayers be agreeable to thy will which is alwaies the same and the fervency of our spirits to the motions of thy holy Spirit in us And then we doubt not but thy spirituall perfections are such as thou art neither to be pleased with affected Novelties for matter or manner nor offended with the pious constancy of our petitions in them both Whose variety or constancy thou hast no where either forbidden or commanded but left them to the piety and prudence of thy Church that both may be used neither despised Keep men in that pious moderation of their judgments in matters of Religion that their ignorance may not offend others nor their opinion of their owne abilities tempt them to deprive others of what they may lawfully and devoutly use to help their infirmities And since the advantage of Errour consists in novelty and variety as Truths in unity and constancy Suffer not thy Church to be pestered with errours and deformed with undecencies in thy service under the pretence of variety and novelty Nor to be deprived of truth unity and order under this fallacy That constancy is the cause of formality Lord keep us from formall Hypocrisie in our owne hearts and then we know that praying to thee or praising of thee with David and other holy men in the same formes cannot hurt us Give us wisdome to amend what is amisse within us and there will be lesse to mend without us Evermore defend and deliver thy Church from the effects of blind Zeale and over-bold devotion 17. Of the differences between the KING and the two Houses in point of Church-Government TOuching the GOVERNMENT of the Church by Bishops the common Jealousie hath been that I am earnest and resolute to maintaine it not so much out of piety as policy and reason of State Wherein so far indeed reason of State doth induce Me to approve that Government above any other as I find it impossible for a Prince to preserve the State in quiet unlesse he hath such an influence upon Church-men and they such a dependance on Him as may best restraine the seditious exorbitancies of Ministers tongues who with the Keyes of Heaven have so farre the Keys of the Peoples hearts as they prevaile much by their Oratory to let in or shut out both Peace and Loyalty So that I being as KING intrusted by God and the Lawes with the good both of Church and State I see no Reason I should give up or weaken by any change that power and influence which in right and reason I ought to have over both The moving Bishops out of the House of Peers of which I have elswhere given an account was sufficient to take off any suspicion that I encline to them for any use to be made of their Votes in State affaires Though indeed I never thought any Bishop worthy to sit in that House who would not Vote according to his Conscience I must now in Charity be thought desirous to preserve that Government in its right constitution as a matter of Religion wherein both My judgment is fully satisfied that it hath of all other the fullest Scripture grounds and also the constant practise of all Christian Churches till of late yeares the tumultuarinesse of People or the factiousnesse and pride of Presbyters or the covetousnesse of some States and Princes gave occasion to some mens wits to invent new models and propose them under specious titles of Christs Government Scepter and Kingdome the better to serve their turns to whom the change was beneficiall They must give Me leave having none of their temptations to invite Me to alter the Government of Bishops that I may have a title to their Estates not to believe their pretended grounds to any new waies contrary to the full and constant testimony of all Histories sufficiently convincing unbiased men that as the Primitive Churches were undoubtedly governed by the Apostles and their immediate Successours the first and best Bishops so it cannot in reason or charity be supposed that all Churches in the world should either be ignorant of the rule by them prescribed or so soon deviate from their divine and holy patterne That since the first Age for 1500 years not one Example can be produced of any setled Church wherein were many Ministers and Congregations which had not some Bishop above them under whose jurisdiction and government they were Whose constant and universall practise agreeing with so large and evident Scripture-directions and examples are set down in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus for the setling of that Government not in the persons onely of Timothy and Titus but in the succession the want of Government being that which the Church can no more dispense with in point of wel-being than the want of the word and Sacraments in point of being I wonder how men came to looke with so envious an eye upon Bishops power and authority as to oversee both the Ecclesiasticall use of them and Apostolicall constitution which to Me seems no lesse evidently set forth as to the maine scope and designe of those Epistles for the setling of a peculiar Office Power and Authority in them as President-Bishops above others in point of Ordination Censures and other acts of Ecclesiasticall discipline then those shorter characters of the qualities and duties of Presbyter-Bishops and Deacons are described in some parts of the same Epistles who in the latitude and community of the name were then and may now not improperly be call'd Bishops as to the oversight and care of single Congregations committed to them by the Apostles or those Apostolicall Bishops who as Timothy and Titus succeeded them in that ordinary power there assigned over larger divisions in which were many Presbyters The humility of those first Bishops avoiding the eminent title of Apostles as a name in the Churches stile appropriated from its common notion of a Messenger or one sent to that speciall dignity which had extraordinary call mission gifts and power immediately from Christ they contented themselves with the ordinary titles of Bishops and Presbyters untill use the great arbitrator of words and master of language finding reason to distinguish by a peculiar name those persons whose power and office were indeed distinct from and above all
other in the Church as succeeding the Apostles in the ordinary and constant power of governing the Churches the honour of whose name they moderately yet commendably declined all Christian Churches submitting to that speciall authority appropriated also the name of Bishop without any suspicion or reproach of arrogancy to those who were by Apostolicall propagation rightly descended invested into that highest and largest power of governing even the most pure and Primitive Churches which without all doubt had many such holy Bishops after the pattern of Timothy and Titus whose speciall power is not more clearly set down in those Epistles the chief grounds and limits of all Episcopall claime as from divine right then are the characters of these perilous times and those men that make them such who not enduring sound doctrine and cleare testimonies of all Churches practise are most perverse Disputers and proud Usurpers against true Episcopacy who if they be not Traytours and Boasters yet they seem to be very covetous heady high-minded inordinate and fierce lovers of themselves having much of the forme little of the power of godlinesse Who by popular heaps of weak light and unlearned Teachers seek to over-lay and smother the pregnancy authority of that power of Episcopall Government which beyond all equivocation and vulgar fallacy of names is most convincingly set forth both by Scripture and all after Histories of the Church This I write rather like a Divine than a Prince that Posterity may see if ever these Papers be publique that I had faire grounds both from Scripture-Canons Ecclesiastical examples whereon My judgement was stated for Episcopall Government Nor was it any policy of State or obstinacy of will or partiality of affection either to the men or their Function which fixed Me who cannot in point of worldly respects be so considerable to Me as to recompence the injuries and losses I and My dearest relations with My Kingdomes have sustained and hazarded chiefly at first upon this quarrell And not onely in Religion of which Scripture is the best rule and the Churches Universall practise the best commentary but also in right reason and the true nature of Government it cannot be thought that an orderly Subordination among Presbyters or Ministers should be any more against Christianity then it is in all secular and civill Governments where parity breeds Confusion and Factionâ— I can no more beleeve that such order is inconsistent with true Religion then good features are with beauty or numbers with harmony Nor is it likely that God who appointed severall orders a Prelacie 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 schisme and division as other men for preventing and suppressing of which the Apostolicall wisdome which was divine after that Christians were multiplied so many Congregations and Presbyters with them appointed this way of Government which might best preserve order and union wâ—th Authority So that I conceive it was not the favour of Princes or ambition of Presbyters but thâ— wisdome 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 Not that I am against the managing of this Presidency and Authority in one man by the joynt Counsell and consent of many Presbyters I have offered to restore that as a fit meanes to avoid those Errours Corruptions and Partialities which are incident to any one man Also to avoid Tyranny which becomes no Christians least of all Church-men beâ—ides it will be a meanes to take away that burden and odium of affaires which may lie too heavy on one mans shoulders as indeed I think it formerly did on the Bishops here Nor can I see what can be more agreeable both to Reason and Religion then such a frame of Government which is paternall not Magisteriall and wherein not only the necessity of avoiding Faction and Confusion Emulations and Contempts which are prone to arise among equals in power and function but also the differences of some Ministers gifts and aptitudes for Government above others doth invite to imploy them in reference to those Abilities wherein they are Eminent Nor is this judgement of Mine touching Episcopacy any pre-occupation of opinion which will not admit any oppositions against it It is well known I have endeavoured to satisfie My self in what the chief Patrons for other wayes can say against this or for theirs And I find they have as farre lesse of Scripture grounds and of Reason so for examples and practice of the Church or testimonies of Histories they are wholly destitute wherein the whole stream runs so for Episcopacy that there is not the least rivulet for any others As for those obtruded examples of some late reformed Churches for many retain Bishops still whom necessity of times and affaires rather excuseth then commendeth for their inconformity to all Antiquity I could never see any reason why Churches orderly reformed and governed by Bishops should be forced to conform to those few rather then to the Catholick example of all Ancient Churches which needed no Reformation And to those Churches at this day who Governed by Bishops in all the Christian world are many more then Presbyterians or Independents can pretend to be All whom the Churches in My three Kingdomes lately Governed by Bishops would equalize I think if not exceed Nor is it any 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 scandall in point of Church-government whom though you may convince of their Errrours 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 Apostolicall So far that never Schismaticks nor Hereticks except those Arians have strayed from the Unity and Conformity of the Church in that point ever having Bishops above Presbyters Besides the late generall approbation and submission to this Government of Bishops by the Clergy as well as the Laity of these Kingdomes is a great confirmation of My Judgment and their inconstancy is a great prejudice against their novelty I cannot in charity so far doubt of their learning or integrity as if they understood not what heretofore they did or that they did conform contrary to their Consciences So that their facility and levity is never to be excused who before ever the point of Church-government had any free impartiall debate contrary to their former Oathes and practice against their obedience to the Lawes in force and against My consent have not only quite cryed down the Government by Bishops but have approved and incouraged the
some mens ambitious Covetousnesse and sacrilegious Cruelty torturing with Me both Church and State in Civill distentions till I shall be forced to consent and declare that I doe approve what God knowes I utterly dislike and in My Soul abhor as many wayes highly against Reason Justice and Religion and whereto if I should shamefully and diâ—honourably give My consent yet should I not by so doing satisfie the dâ—vided Interests and Opinions of those Parties which contend with each other as well as both against Me and Epiâ—copacy Nor can My late condescending to the Scots in point of Church-government be rightly objected against Me as an inducement for Me to consent to the like in My other Kingdoms For it should be considered that Episcopacy was not so rooted and setled there as 't is here nor I in that respect so strictly bound to continue it in that Kingdom as in this for what I think in My judgment best I may not think so absolutely necessary for all places at all times If any shall impute My yeilding to them as My failing and sin I can easily acknowledge it but that is no argument to do so again or much worse I being now more convinced in that point nor indeed hath My yeilding to them been so happy and successefull as to incourage Me to grant the like to others Did I see any thing more of Christ as to Meeknesse Justice Orâ—er Charity and Loyalty in those that pretend to other modes of Government I might suspect My judgment to be biassed or foreâ—stalled with some prejudice and wontednesse of opinion but I have hitherto so much cause to suspect the contrary in the manners of many of those men that I cannot from them gain the least reputation for their new wayes of Government Nor can I find that in any Reformed Churches whose paternes are so cryed up and obtruded upon the Churches under My Dominion that eâ—ther Learning or Religion workes of Pâ—ety or Charity have so flourished beyond what they have done in My Kingdomes by Gods blessing which might make Me believe either Presbytery or Independency have a more benigne influence upon the Church and mens hearts and lives than Episcopacy in its right constitution The abuses of which deserve to be extirpated as much as the use retained for I think it farre better to hold to primitive and uniforme Antiquity than to comply with divided novelty A right Episcopacy would at once satisfie all just desires and interests of good Bishops humble Presbyters and sober People so as Church affaires should be managed neither with tyrannie parity nor popularity neither Bishops ejected nor Presbyters despised nor People oppressed And in this integrity both of My Judgment and Conscience I hope God will preserve Me. For Thou O Lord knowest my uprightnesse and tendernesse as thou hast set me to be a Defender of the Faith and a Protectour of thy Church so suffer me not by any violence to be overborne against my Conscience Arise O Lord maintaine thine owne Cause let not thy Church be deformed as to that Government which derived from thy Apostles hath been retained in purest and primitive times till the Revenues of the Church became the object of secular envy which seeks to rob it of all the incouragements of Learning and Religion Make me as the good Samaritan compassionate and helpfull to thy afflicted Church which some men have wounded and robbed others passe by without regard either to pity or relieve As my power is from thee so give me grace to use it for thee And though I am not suffered to be Master of my other Rights as a KING yet preserve me in that liberty of Reason love of Religion and thy Churches welfare which are fixed in my Conscience as a Christian. Preserve from Sacrilegious invasions those temporall blessings which thy providence hath bestowed on thy Church for thy glory Forgive their sinnes and errours who have deserved thy just permission thus to let in the wild Boare and subtill Foxes to wast and deform thy Vineyard which thy right hand hath planted and the dew of Heaven so long watered to a happy and flourishing estate O let me not beare the infamous brand to all Posterity of being the first Christian KING in this Kingdome who should consent to the oppression of thy Church and the Fathers of it whose errours I would rather with Constantine cover with silence and reforme with meeknesse than expose their persons and sacred Functions to vulgar contempt Thou O Lord seest how much I have suffered with and for thy Church make no long tarrying O my God to deliver both me and it from unreasonable men whose counsels have brought forth and continue such violent confusions by a precipitant destroying the ancient boundaries of thy Churches peace thereby letting in all manner of errours schismes and disorders O thou God of order and of truth in thy good â—ime abate the malice aswage the rage and confound all the mischievous devices of thine mine and thy Churches enemies That I and all that love thy Church may sing praises to thee and ever magnifie thâ— salvation even beâ—ore the sons of men 18. Vpon Vxbridge-Treaty and other Offers made by the KING I Look upon the way of Treaties as a retiring from fighting like Beasts to arguing like Men whose strength should be more in their understandings than in their limbs And though I could seldome get opportunities to Treat yet I never wanted either desire or disposition to it having greater confidence of My Reason than My Sword I was so wholly resolved to yeild to the first that I thought neither My selfe nor others should need to use the second if once we rightly understood each other Nor did I ever think it a diminution of Me to prevent them with Expresses of My desires and even importunities to Treat It being an office not onely of humanity rather to use Reason than Force but also of Christianity to seek peace and ensue it As I am very unwillingly compelled to defend My self with Armes so I very willingly embraced any thing tending to Peace The events of all Warre by the Sword being very dubious and of a Civill Warre uncomfortable the end hardly recompencing and late repairing the mischief of the means Nor did any successe I had ever enhaunce with Me the price of Peace as earnestly desired by Me as any man though I was like to pay dearer for it than any man All that I sought to reserve was Mine Honour and My Conscience the one I could not part with as a KING the other as a Christian. The Treaty at Uxbridge gave the fairest hopes of an happy composure had others applied themselves to it with the same moderation as I did I am confident the War had then ended I was willing to condescend as farre as Reason Honour and Conscience would gâ—ve Me leave nor were the remaining differences so essentiall to My Peoples happinesse or of such consequence as in the
to God O my God make me content to be overcome when thou wilt have it so Teach me the noblest vistory over my self and my Enemies by patience which was Christs conquest aâ—d may well become a Christian King Between both thy hands the right sometimes supporting and the left afflicting fashion us to that frame of piety thou likest best Forgive the pride that attends our prosperous and the repinings which follow our disastrous events when going forth in our owne strength thou withdrawest thine and goest not forth with our Armies Be thou all when we are something and when we are nothing that thou mayst have the glory when we are in a victorious or inglorious condition Thou O Lord knowest how hard it is for me to suffer so much evill from my Subjects to whom I intend nothing but good and I cannot but suffer in those evils which they compell me to inflict upon them punishing my selfe in their punishments Since therefore both in conquering and being conquered I am still a Sufferer I beseech thee to give me a double portion of thy Spirit and that measure of grace which onely can be sufficient for me As I am most afflicted so make me most reformed that I may be not onely happy to see an end of these civill distractions but a chiefe Instrument to restore and establish a firme and blessed Peace to my Kingdomes Stirre up all Parties pious ambitions to overcome each other with reason moderation and such self-deniall as becomes those who consider that our mutuall divisions are our common distractions and the Union of all is every good mans chiefest interest If O Lord as for the sinnes of our peace thou hast brought upon us the miseries of warre so for the sinnes of warre â—hou shouldst see fit still to deny us the blessing of peace and so to keep us in a circulation of miseries yet give me thy Servant and all Loyall though afflicted Subjects to enjoy that peace which the world can neither give to us nor take from us Impute not to me the bloud of my Subjects which with infinite unwillingnesse and griefe hath been shed by me in my just and necessary defence but wash me with that pretious bloud which hath been shed for me by my great Peace-maker Iesus Christ. Who will I trust redeem me shortly out of all my troubles for I know the triumphing of the Wicked is but short and the joy of Hypocrites is but for a moment 20. Vpon the Reformations of the Times NO Glory is more to be envied than that of due Reforming either Church or State when deformities are such that the perturbation and novelty are not like to exceed the benefit of Reforming Although God should not honour Me so farre as to make Me an Instrument of so good a worke yet I should be glad to see it done As I was well pleased with this Parliaments first intentions to reform what the Indulgence of Times and corruption of manners might have depraved so I am sorry to see after the freedome of Parliament was by factious Tumults oppressed how little regard was had to the good Laws established and the Religion setled which ought to be the first rule and standard of reforming with how much partiality and popular compliance the passions and opinions of men have been gratified to the detriment of the Publique and the infinite scandall of the Reformed Religion What dissolutions of all Order and Government in the Church what novelties of Schismes and corrupt opinions what undecencies and confusions in sacred administrations what sacrilegious invasions upon the Rights and Revenues of the Church what contempt oppressions of the Clergy what injurious diminutions and persecutings of Me have followed as showres do warm gleames the talke of Reformation all sober men are Witnesses and with My self sad Spectators hithâ—rto The great miscarriage I think is that popular clamours and fury have been allowed the reputation of Zeale and the publique sense so that the study to please some Parties hath indeed injured all Freedome moderation and impartiality are sure the best tempers of reforming Councels and endeavours wâ—â—t is acted by Factions cannot but offend more than it pleaseth I have offered to put all differences in Church affaires and Religion to the free consultation of a Synod or Convocation rightly chosen the results of whose Counsels as they would have included the Votes of all so its like they would have given most satisfaction to all The Assembly of Divines whom the two Houses have applyed â—in an unwonted way to advise of Church Affaires I dislike not further then that they are not legally convened and chosen nor Act in the name of all the Clergy of England nor with freedome and impartiality can doe any thing being limited and confined if not over-awed to do and declare what they do For I cannot think so many men cryed up for learning and piety who formerly allowed the Liturgy and Government of the Church of England as to the maine would have so suddenly agreed quite to abolish both of them the last of which they knew to be of Apostolicall institution at least as of Primitive and Universall practice if they had been left to the liberty of their own suffrages and if the influence of contrary Factions had not by secret encroachments of hopes and feares prevailed upon them to comply with so great and dangerous Innovations in the Church without any regard to their own former judgment and practice or to the common interest and honour of all the Clergy and in them of Order Learning and Religion against examples of all Ancient Churches the Lawes in force and My consent which is never to be gained agaâ—nst so pregnant light as in that point shines on My understanding For I conceive that where the Scripture is not so clear and punctuall in precepts there the constant and Universall practice of the Church in things not contrary to Reason Faith good Manners or any positive Command is the best Rule that Châ—istians can follow I was willing to grant or restore to Presbitery what with Reason or Discretion it can pretend to in a conjuncture with Episcopacy but for that wholly to invade the Power and by the Sword to arrogate and quite abrogate the Authoriâ—y of that Ancient Order I think neither just as to Episcopacy nor safe for Presbitery nor yet any way convenient for this Church or State A due reformation had easily followed moderate Counsells and such I believe as would have given more content even to the most of those Divines who have been led on with much Gravity and Formality to carry on other mens designes which no doubt many of them by this time discover though they dare not but smother their frustrations and discontents The specious and popular titles of Christs Government Throne Scepter and Kingdome which certainly is not divided nor hath two faces as their parties now have at least also the noise of a through Reformation
violent oppositions if once they gain to be necessary impositions upon the Regall Authority Since no man seekes to limit and confine his King in Reason who hath not a secret aime to share with him or usurp upon him in Power and Dominion But they would have me trust to their moderation abandon mine own discretion that so I might verifie what representations some have made of me to the world that I am fitter to be their Pupill then their Prince Truly I am not so confident of my own sufficiency as not willingly to admit the Counsell of others But yet I am not so diffident of my selfe as bruâ—ishly to submit to any mens dictates and at once to betray the Soveraignty of Reason in my Soul and the Majesty of my own Crown to any of my Subjects Least of all have I any ground of credulity to induce me fully to submit to all the desires of those men who will not admit or doe refuse and neglect to vindicate the freedome of their own and others sitting and voting in Parliament Besides all men that know them know this how young States-men the most part of these propounders are so that till experience of one seven years hath shewed me how well they can Governe themselves and so much power as is wrested from me I should be very foolish indeed and unfaithfull in my Trust to put the reins of both Reason and Government wholly out of my own into their hands whose driving is already too much like Iehues and whose forwardnesse to ascend the throne of Supremacy pretends more of Phaeton then of Phebus God divert the Omen if it be his will They may remember that at best they sit in Parliament as my Subjects not my Superiours called to be my Counsellours not Dictatours Their Summons extends to recommend their advice not to command my Duty When I first heard of Propositions to be sent Me I expected either some good Lawes which had been antiquated by the course of time or overlayd by the corruption of manners had been desired to a restauration of their vigour and due execution or some evill customes preterlegall and abuses personall had been to be removed or some injuries done by My selfe and others to the Common-weale were to be repaired or some equable offertures were to be tendred to Me wherein the advantages of My Crowne being considered by them might fairly induce Me to condiscend to what tended to My Subjects good without any great diminution of My selfe whom nature Law Reason and Religion bind Me in the first place to preserve without which 't is impossible to preserve My People according to My Place Or at least I looked for such moderate desires of due Reformation of what was indeed amisse in Church and State as might still preserve the foundation and essentialls of Government in both not shake and quite overthrow either of them without any regard to the Lawes in force the wâ—sdome and piety of former Parliaments the ancient and universall practise of Christian Churches the Rights and Priviledges of particular men Nor yet any thing offered in lieu or in the roome of what must be destroyed which might at once reach the good end of the others Institution and also supply its pretended defects reforme its abuses and satisfie sober and wise men not with soft and specious words pretending zeale and speciall piety but with pregnant and solid reasons both divine and humane which might justifie the abruptnesse and necessity of such vast alterations But in all their Propositions I can observe little of these kinds or to these ends Nothing of any Laws disâ—jointed which are to be restored of any right invaded of any justice to be un-obstructed of any compensations to be made of any impartiall reformation to be granted to all or any of which Reason Religion true Policy or any other humane motives might induce me But as to the maine matters propounded by them at any time in which is either great novelty or difficulty I perceive that what were formerly look'd upon as Factions in the State and Schâ—smes in the Church and soâ— punishable by the Lawes have now the confidence by vulgar clamours and assistance chiefly to demand not onely Tolerations of themselves in their vanity novelty and confusion but also Abolition of the Lawes against them and a totall extirpation of that Government whose Rights they have a mind to invade This as to the maine other Proposiâ—ions are for the most part but as waste paper in which those are wrapped up to present them somewhat more handsomely Nor doe I so much wonder at the variety and horrible novelty of some Propositions there being nothing so monstrous which some fancies are not prone to long for This casts me into not an admiration but an extasie how such things should have the fortune to be propounded in the name of the two Houses of the Parliament of England among whom I am very confident there was not a fourth part of the Members of either House whose judgments free single and apart did approve or desire such destructive changes in the Government of the Church I am perswaded there remaines in farre the Major part of both Houses if free and full so much Learning Reason Religion and just moderation as to know how to sever between the uâ—e and the abuse of things the institution and the corruption the Government and the Mis-government the Primitive Patterns and the aberrations or blottings of after Copies Sure they could not all upon so little or no Reason as yet produced to the contrary so soon renounce all regard to the Laws in force to antiquity to the piety of their reforming Progenitors to the prosperity of former times in this Church and State under the present Government of the Church Yet by a strange fatality these men suffer either by their absence or silence or negligence or supine credulity believing that all is good which is guilded with shewes of Zeale and Reformation their private dissenting in Judgement to be drawne into the common sewer or streame of the present vogue and humour which hath its chief rise and abetment from those popular clamours and Tumults which served to give life and strength to the infinite activity of those men who studied with all diligence and policy to improve to their Innovating designes the present distractions Such Armies of Propositions having so little in My Judgment of Reason Justice and Religion on their side as they had Tumult and Faction for their rise must not go alone but ever be backt and seconded with Armies of Soldiers Though the second should prevaile against My Person yet the first shall never overcome Me further than I see cause for I look not at their number and power so much as I weigh their Reason and Justice Had the two Houses first sued out their livery and once effectually redeemed themselves from the Wardship of the Tumults which can be no other than the Hounds that
can revert onely to the Crowne with My Consent so I have alwaies had such a perfect abhorrence of it in My Soule that I never found the least inclination to such sacrilegious Reformings yet no man hath a greater desire to have Bishops and all Church-men so reformâ—d that they may best deserve and use not onely what the pious munificence of My Predecessours hath given to God and the Church but all other additions of Christian bounty But no necessity shall ever I hope drive Me or Mine to invade or sell the Priests Lands which both Pharaoh's divinity and Ioseph's true piety abhorred to doe So unjust I think it both in the eye of Reason and Religion to deprive the most sacred employment of all due incouragements and like that other hard-hearted Pharaoh to withdraw the Straw and encrease the Taske so pursuing the oppressed Church as some have done to the red sea of a Civill Warre where nothing but a miracle can save either It or Him who esteems it His greatest Title to be called and His chiefest glory to be The Defender of the Church both in its true Faith and its just fruitions equally abhorring Sacriledge and Apostacy I had rather live as my Predecessour Henry 3. sometime did on the Churches Almes then violently to take the bread out of Bishops and Ministers mouths The next work will be Ieroboam's reformation consecrating the meanest of the People to be Priests in Israel to serve those Golden Calves who have enriched themselves with the Churches Patrimony Dowâ—y which how it thrived both with Prince Priests People is well enough known And so it will be here when from the tuition of Kings and Queens which have beene nursing Fathers and Mothers of this Church it shall be at their allowance who have already discovered what hard Fathers and Stepmothers they will be If the poverty of Scotland might yet the plenty of England cannot excuse the envy and rapine of the Churches Rights and Revenues I cannot so much as pray God to prevent those sad consequences which will inevitably follow the parity and poverty of Ministers both in Church and State since I think it no lesse than a mocking and tempting of God to desire him to hinder those mischiefs whose occasions and remedies are in our owne power it being every mans sinne not to avoid the one and not to use the other There are waies enough to repaire the breaches of the State without the ruines of the Church as I would be a Restorer of the one so I would not be an Oppressour of the other under the pretence of Publique Debts The occasions contracting them were bad enough but such a discharging of them would be much worse I pray God neither I nor Mine may be accessary to either To thee O Lord doe I addresse My prayer beseeching thee to pardon the rashnesse of My Subjects Swearings and to quicken their sense and observation of those just morall and indispensable bonds which thy Word and the Lawes of this Kingdome have laid upon their Consciences From which no pretensions of Piety and Reformation are sufficient to absolve them or to engage them to any contrary practises Make them at length seriously to consider that nothing violent and injurious can be religious Thou allowest no mans committing Sacriledge under the Zeale of abhorring Idols Suffer not sacrilegious designes to have the countenance of religious ties Thou hast taught us by the wisest of Kings that it is a snare to take things that are holy and after Vowes to make enquiry Ever keep thy Servant from consenting to perjurious and sacrilegious rapines that I may not have the brand and curse to all posterity of robbing Thee and thy Church of what thy bounty hath given us and thy clemency hath accepted from us wherewith to encourage Learning and Religion Though My Treasures are Exhausted My Revenues Diminished and My Debts Encreased yet never suffer Me to be tempted to use such profane Reparationâ— lest a coal from thine Altar set such a fire on My Throne and Conscience as wil be hardly quenched Let not the Debts and Engagements of the Publique which some mens folly and prodigality hath contracted be an occasion to impoverish thy Church The State may soone recover by thy blessing of peace upon us The Church is never likely in times where the Charity of most men is growne so cold and their Religion so illiberall Continue to those that serve Thee and thy Church all those incouragements which by the will of the pious Donours and the justice of the Lawes are due unto them and give them grace to deserve and use them aright to thy glory and the relief of the poore That thy Priests may be cloathed with righteousnesse and the poore may be satisfied with bread Let not holy things be given to Swine nor the Churches bread to Dogs rather let them go about the City grin like a Dog and grudge that they are not satisfied Let those sacred morsels which some men have already by violence devoured never digest with them nor theirs Let them be as Naboth's Vineyard to Ahab gall in their mouths rottennesse to their names a moth to their Families and a sting to their Consciences Break in sunder O Lord all violent and sacrilegious Confederations to doe wickedly and injuriously Divide their hearts and tongues who have bandyed together against the Church and State that the folly of such may be manifest to all men and proceed no further But so favour My righteous dealing O Lord that in the mercies of thee the most High I may never miscarry 15. Vpon the many Iealousies raised and Scandals cast upon the KING to stirre up the People against Him IF I had not My own Innocency and Gods protection it were hard for Me to stand out against those stratagems conflicts of malice which by Falsities seek to oppresse the Truth and by Jealousies to supply the defect of Reall causes which might seem to justifie so unjust Engagements against Me. And indeed the worst effects of open Hostility come short of these Designes For I can more willingly loose My Crownes than My Credit nor are My Kingdomes so deare to Me as My Reputation and Honour Those must have a period with My life but theâ—e may survive to a glorious kind of Immortality when I am dead gone A good name being the embalming of Princes and a sweet consecrating of them to an Eternity of love and gratitude among Posterity Those soule and false aspersions were secret engines at first employed against My peoples love of Me that undermining their opinion and value of Me My enemies and theirs too might at once blow up their affections and batter downe their loyaltie Wherein yet I thanke God the detriment of My Honour is not so afflictive to Me as the â—in and danger of My peoples soules whose eyes once blinded with such mists of suspicions they are soone mis-led into the most desperate precipices of actions
Reason why any Christian should abhorre or be forbidden to use the â—ame Formes of prayer since he praies to the same God bâ—lieves 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 Sure we may as wel 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 our appetite and disgestion too may be good when we use as we pray for our daily bread Some men I heare are so impatient not to use in all their devotions their owne invention and gifts that they not onely disuse as too many but wholly cast away and contemn the Lords Prayer whose great guilt is that it is the warrant and originall patterne of all set Liturgies in the Christian Church I ever thought that the proud ostentation of mens abilities for invention and the vaine affectations of variety for expressions in Publique prayer or any sacred administrations merits a greater brand of sin than that which they call Coldnesse and Barrennesse Nor are men in those novelties lesse subject to formall and superficiall tempers as to their hearts than in the use of constant Formes where not the words but mens hearts are too blame I make no doubt but a man may be very formall 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 Nor are constant Formes of Prayers more likely to flat and hinder the Spirit of prayer and devotion than un-premeditated and confused variety to distract and lose it Though I am not against a grave modest discreet and humble use of Ministers gifts even in publique the better to fit and excite their owne and the Peoples affections to the present occasions yet I know no necessity why private and single abilities should quite justle ouâ— and deprive the Church of the joynt abilities and concurrent gifts of many learned and godly men such as the Composers of the Service-Booke were who may in all reason be thought to have more of gifts and graces enabling them to compose with serious deliberation concurrent advise such Forms of prayers as may best fit the Churches common wants informe the Hearers understanding and stirre up that fiduciary and fervent application of their spirits wherein consists the very life and soule of prayer and that so much pretended Spirit of prayer than any private man by his solitary abilities can be presumed to have which what they are many times even there where they make a great noise and shew the affectations emptinesse impertinency rudenesse confusions flatnesse levity obscurity vain and ridiculous repetitions the senslesse and oft-times blasphemous expressions all these burthened with a most tedious and intolerable length do sufficiently convince all men but those who glory in that Pharisaick way Wherein men must be strangely impudent 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 profane a manner Nor can it expected but that in duties of frequent performance as Sacramentall administrations and the like which are still the same Ministers must either come to use their own Formes constantly which are not like to be so sound or comprehensive of the nature of the duty as Formes of Publick composure or else they must every time affect new expressions when the subject is the same which can hardly be presumed in any mans greatest sufficiencies not to want many times much of that compleatnesse order and gravity becomming those duties which by this means are exposed at every celebration to every Ministers private infirmities indispositions errours disorders and defects both for judgment and expression A serious sense of which inconvenience in the Church unavoidably following every mans severall manner of officiating no doubt first occasioned the wisdome and piety of the Ancient Churches to remedy those mischiefs by the use of constant Liturgies of Publick composure The want of which I believe this Church will sufficiently feel when the unhappy fruits of many mens un-governed ignorance and confident defects shall be discovered in more errours schimes disorders and uncharitable distractions in Religion which are already but too many the more is the pity However if violence must needs bring in and abett those innovations that men may not seeme to have nothing to do which Law Reason and Religion forbids at least to be so obtruded as wholly to justle out the publick Liturgie Yet nothing can excuse that most unjust and partiall severity of those men who either lately had subscribed to used and maintained the Service-book or refused to use it cried out of the rigour of Lawes and Bishops which suffered them not to use the liberty of their Consciences in not using it That these men I say should so suddenly change the Lyturgie into a Directory as if the Spirit needed help for invention though not for expressions or as if matter prescribed did not as much stint and obstruct the Spirit as if it were cloathed in and confined to fit words So slight and easie is that Legerdemain which will serve to delude the vulgar That further they should 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 Thus I see no men are prone to be greater Tyrants and more rigorous exacters upon others to conform to their illegall novelties then such whose pride was formerly least disposed to the obedience of lawfull Constitutions and whose licentious humours most pretended Conscientious liberties which freeâ—dome with much regret they now allow to Me and My Chaplains when they may have leave to serve Me whose abilities even in their exâ—emporary way comes not short of the others but their modesty and learning far exceeds the most of them But this matter is of so popular a nature as some men knew it would not bear learned and sober debates lest being convinced by the evidence of Reason as well as Lawes they should have been driven either to sin more against their knowledge by taking away the Liturgie or to displease some faction of the people by continuing the use of it Though I beleeve they have offended more considerable men not onely for their numbers and estates but for their weighty and judicious piety than those are whose weaknesse or giddinesse they sought to gratifie by taking it away One of the greatest faults some men found with the Common-Prayer-Book I beleeve was this That it taught them to pray so oft for Me to which Petitions they had not Loyaltie enough to say Amen nor yet Charity
violent and most illegall stripping all the Bishops and many other Church-men of all their due Authority and Revenues even to the selling away and utter alienation of those Church-lands from any Ecclesiasticall uses So great a power hath the stream of times and the prevalency of parties over some mens judgements of whose so sudden and so totall change little reason can be given besides the Scots Army comming into England But the folly of these men will at last punish it self and the Desertors of Episcopacy will appeare the greatest Enemies to and Betrayers of their owne interest for Presbytery is never so considerable or effectuall as when it is joyned to and crowned with Episcopacy All Ministers wil find as great a difference in poâ—nt of thriving between the favour of the People and of Princes as plants doe between being watered by hand or by the sweet and liberall dews of Heaven The tenuity and contempt of Clegy-men will soone let them see what a poore carcasse they are when parted from the influence of that Head to whose Supremacy they have been sworne A little moderation might have prevented great mischiefs I am firme to Primitive Episcopacy not to have it extirpated if I can hinder it Discretion without passion might easily reforme whatever the rust of times or indulgence of Laws or corruption of manners have brought upon it It being a grosse vulgar errour to impute to or revenge upon the Function the faults of times or persons which seditious and popular principle and practise all wise men abhorre For those secular additaments and ornaments of Authority Civill Honour and Estate which My Predecessours and Christian Princes in all Countries have annexed to Bishops and Church-men I look upon them but as just rewards of their learning and piety who are fit to be in any degree of Church-Government also enablements to works of Charity Hospitality meet strengthenings of their Authority in point of respect and observance which in peacefull times is hardly payed to any Governours by the measure of their vertues so much as by that of their Estates Poverty and meannesse exposing them and their Authority to the contempt of licentious minds and manners which persecuting Times much restrained I would have such men Bishops as are most worthy of those incouragements and best able to use them if at any time My judgment of men failed My good intention made My errour veniall And some Bishops I am sure I had whose learning gravity and piety no men of any worth or forehead can deny But of all men I would have Church-men especially the Governours to be redeemed from that vulgar neglect which besides an innate principle of vitious opposition which is in all men against those that seem to reprove or restraine them will necessarily follow both the Presbyterian parity which makes all Ministers equall and the Independent inferiority which sets their Pastors below the People This for My judgment touching Episcopacy wherein God knows I doe not gratifie any designe or passion with the least perverting of Truth And now I appeale to God above and all the Christian world whether it be just for Subjects or pious for Christians by violence and infinite indignities with servile restraints to seek to force Me their KING and Soveraigne as some men have endeavoured to doe against all these grounds of My Judgment to consent to their weak and divided novelties The greatest Pretender of them desires not more than I doe That the Church should be governed as Christ hath appointed in true Reason and in Scripture of which I could never see any probable shew for any other waies who either content themselves with the examples of some Churches in their infancy solitude when one Presbyter might serve one Congregation in a City or Countrey or else they deny these most evident Truths That the Apostles were Bishops over those Presbyters they ordained as well as over the Churches they planted and that Government being necessary for the Churches wel-being 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 continue It is most sure that the purest Primitive and best Churches flourished under Episcopacy and may so still if ignorance superstition avarice revenge and other disorderly and disloyall passions had not so blowne up some mens minds against it that what they want of Reasons or Primitive Patterns they supply with violence and oppression wherein some mens zeale for Bishops Lands Houses and Revenues hath set them on worke to eate up Episcopacy which however other men esteem to Me is no lesse sin than Sacriledge or a robbery of GOD the giver of all we have of that portion which devout mindes have thankfully given againe to him in giving it to his Church and Prophets through whose hands he graciously accepts even a cup of cold water as a libation offered to himselfe Furthermore as to My particular engagement above other men by an Oath agreeable to My judgement I am solemnly obliged to preserve that Government and the Rights of the Church Were I convinced of the unlawfullnesse of the Function as Antichristian which some men boldly but weakly calumniate I could soone with Judgment break that Oath which erroneously was taken by Me. But being daily by the best disquisition of truth more confirmed in the Reason and Religion of that to which I am Sworn How can any man that wisheth not My damnation perswade Me at once to so notorious and combined sins of Sacriledge and Perjury besides the many personall Injustices I must doe to many worthy men who are as legally invested in their Estates as any who seek to deprive them and they have by no Law been convicted of those crimes which might forfeit their Estates and Lively-hoods I have oft wondred how men pretending to tendernesse of Conscience and Reformation can at once tell Me that My Coronation Oath binds Me to Consent to whatsoever they shall propound to Me which they urge with such violence though contrary to all that Rationall and Religious freedome which every man ought to preserve of which they seem so tender in their own Votes yet at the same time these men will needs perswade Me That I must and ought to dispence with and roundly break that part of My Oath which binds Me agreeable to the best light of Reason and Religion I have to maintain the Government and legall Rights of the Church 'T is strange My lot should be valid in that part which both My self and all men in their own case esteem injurious unreasonable as being against the very naturall and essentiall liberty of our soules yet it should be invalid and to be broken in another clause wherein I think My selfe justly obliged both to God and Man Yet upon this Rack chiefly have I been held so long by
the Common-wealth since my Subjects can hardly be happy if I be miserable or enjoy their peace and liberties while I am oppressed The world may see how soon mens design like Absoloms is by enormous actions to widen differences and exasperate all sides to such distances as may make all reconciliation desperate Yet I thank God I can not only with patience bear this as other indignities but with Charity forgive them The integrity of My intentions is not jealous of any injury My expressions can do them for although the confidence of privacy may admit greater freedom in writing such Letters which may be liable to envious exceptions yet the Innocency of My chief purposes cannot be so obtained or mis-interpreted by them as not to let all men seâ— that I wish nothing more then an happy composure of differences with Justice and Honour not more to My own then My peoples content who have any sparks of Love or Loyalty left in them who by those My Letters may be convinced that I can both mind and act My own and My Kingdomes Affaires so as becomes a Prince which Mine Enemies have alwayes been very loath should be belâ—eved of me as if I were wholly confined to the Dictates and Directions of others whom they please to brand with the names of Evill Counsellours It s probable some men will now look upon me as my own Counsellour and having none else to quarrell with under that notion they will hereafter confine theâ—r anger to my self Although I know they are very unwilling I should enjoy the liberty of my own Thoughts or follow the light of my own Conscience which they labour to bring into an absolute captivity to themselves not allowing me to think their Counsels to be other then good for me which have so long maintained a War against Me. The Victory they obtained that day when my Letters became their prize had been enough to have satiated the most ambitious thirst of popular glory among the Vulgar with whom prosperity gaines the greatest esteem and applause as adversity exposeth to their greatest slighting and dis-respect As if good fortune were alwayes the shadow of Vertue and Justice and did not oftner attend vitious and injurious actions as to this world But I see no secular advantages seeme sufficient to that cause which began with Tumults and depends chiefty upon the reputation with the vulgar They think no Victories so effectuall to their designes as those that most rout and waste my Credit with my People in whose hearts they seek by all meanes to smother and extinguish all sparks of Love Respect and Loyalty to Me that they may never kindle again so as to recover Mine the Lawes and the Kingdomes Liberties which some men seek to overthrow The taking away of my Credit is but a necessary preparation to the taking away of my Life and my Kingdomes First I must seem neither fit to Live nor worthy to Reign By exquisite methods of cunning and cruelty I must be compelled first to follow the Funeralls of my Honour and then be destroyed But I know Gods un-erring and impartiall Justice can and will over-rule the most perverse wills and designes of men He is able and I hope will turn even the worst of mine Enemies thoughts and actions to my good Nor doe I think that by the surprize of my Letters I have lost any more then so many papers How much they have lost of that reputation for Civility and Humanity which ought to be pay'd to all men and most becomes such as pretend to Religion besides that of respect and Honour which they owe to their KING present and after-times will judge And I cannot think that their owne consciences are so stupid as not to inflict upon them some secret impressions of that shame and dishonour which attends all unworthy actions have they never so much of publique flattery and popular countenance I am sure they can never expect the divine approbation of such indecent actions if they doe but remember how God blest the modest respect and filiall tendernesse which Noah's Sonnes bare to their Father nor did his open infirmity justifie Chams impudency or exempt him from that curse of being Servant of Servants which curse must needs be on them who seek by dishonourable actions to please the Vulgar and confirme by ignoble acts their dependance upon the People Nor can their malitious intentions be ever either excusable or prosperous who thought by this means to expose Me to the highest reproach and contempt of My People forgetting that duty of modest concealment which they owed to the Father of their Country in case they had discovered any reall uncomelinesse which I thank God they did not who can and I believe hath made Me more respected in the hearts of many as he did David to whom they thought by publishing My private Letters to have rendred Me as a Vile Person not fit to be trusted or considered under any Notion of Majesty But thou O Lord whose wise and all-disposing providence ordereth the greatest contingences of humane affaires make me to see the constancy of thy mercies to me in the greatest advantages thou seemest to give the malice of my Enemies against me As thou didst blast the counsel of Achitophel turning it to Davids good and his owne ruine so canst thou defeat their designe who intended by publishing my private Letters nothing else but to render me more odious and contemptible to My People I must first appeale to thy Omniscience who canst witnesse with my integrity how unjust and false those scandalous misconstructions are which my enemies endeavour by those Papers of mine to represent to the world Make the evill they imagined and displeasure they intended thereby against me so to returne on their owne heads that they may be ashamed and covered with their owne confusion as with a Cloake Thou seest how mine Enemies use all meanes to cloud mine Honour to pervert my purposes and to slander the footsteps of thine Anoynted But give me an heart content to be dishonoured for thy sake and thy Churches good Fix in me a purpose to honour thee and then I know thou wilt honour me either by restoring to me the enjoyment of that Power and Majesty which thou hast suffered some men to seek to deprive me of or by bestowing on me that crowne of Christian patience which knows how to serve thee in honour or dishonour in good report or evill Thou O Lord art the fountaine of goodnesse and honour thou art clothed with excellent Majesty make me to partake of thy excellency for wisdome justice and mercy and I shall not want that degree of Honour and Majesty which becomes the Place in which thou hast set Me who art the lifter up of My head and My salvation Lord by thy Grace lead Me to thy Glory which is both true and eternall 22. Vpon His Majesties leaving Oxford and going to the Scots ALthough God hath given Mee three Kingdomes
with patience but perswade a man by betraying his own Innocency to despair of Gods mercy and by Justifying their injuries to strengthen the hands and harden the hearts of Insolent Enemies I am so much a friend to all Church-men that have any thing in them beseeming that â—acred function that I have hazarded my owne Interests chiefly upon Conscience and Constancy to maintaine their Rights whom the more I looked upon as Orphans and under the sacrilegious eyes of many cruell and rapacious Reformers so I thought it my duty the more to appeare as a Father and a Patron for them and the Church Although I am very unhandsomly requited by some of them who may live to repent no lesse for My sufferings than their own ungratefull errours and that injurious contempt and meannesse which they have brought upon their Calling and Persons I pity all of them I despise none onely I thought I might have leave to make choice of some for My speciall Attendants who were best approved in My Judgment and most sutable to My affection For I held it better to seem undevout and to heare no mens prayers than to be forced or seem to comply with those petitions to which the heart cannot consent nor the tongue say Amen without contradicting a mans owne understanding or belying his owne soule In Devotions I love neither profane boldnesse nor pious non-senseâ— but such an humble and judicious gravity as shews the Speaker to be at once considerate both of Gods Majesty the Churches honour and his owne Vilenesse both knowing what things God allows him to ask and in what manner it becomes a Sinner to supplicate the divine Mercy for himself and others I am equally scandalized with all prayers that sound either imperiously or rudely and passionately as either wanting humility to God or charity to men or respect to the duty I confesse I am better pleased as with studied and premeditated Sermons so with such publique Formes of Prayer as are fitted to the Churches and every Christians daily common necessities because I am by them better assured what I may joyn My heart unto than I can be of any mans extemporary sufficiency which as I doe not wholly exclude from publique occasions so I allow its just liberty and use in private and devout retirements where neither the solemnity of the duty nor the modest regard to others doe require so great exactnesse as to the outward manner of performance Though the light of understanding and the fervency of affection I hold the maine and most necessary requisites both in constant and occasionall solitary and sociall Devotions So that I must needs seem to all equal minds with as much Reason to prefer the service of My own Chaplains before that of their Ministers as I do the Liturgy before their Directory In the one I have been alwaies educated and exercised In the other I am not yet Catechized nor acquainted And if I were yet should I not by that as by any certain rule and Canon of devotion be able to follow or find out the indirect extravagancies of most of those men who highly cry up that as a piece of rare composure and use which is already as much despised and disused by many of them as the Common-prayer sometimes was by those men a great part of whose piety hung upon that popular pin of rayling against and contemning the Government and Liturgy of this Church But I had rather be condemned to the woe of Vae soli than to that of Vae vobis Hypocritis by seeming to pray what I doe not approve It may be I am esteemed by My Denyers sufficient of My selfe to discharge My duty to GOD as a Priest though not to Men as a Prince Indeed I think both Offices Regall and Sacerdotall might well become the same Person as anciently they were under one name the united rights of primogeniture Nor could I follow better presidents if I were able than those two eminent Kings David and Solomon not more famous for their Scepters and Crownes than one was for devout Psalmes and Prayers the other for his divine Parables and Preaching whence the one merited and assumed the name of a Prophet the other of a Preacher Titles indeed of greater honour where rightly placed than any of those the Roman Emperours affected from the Nations they subdued it being infinitely more glorious to convert Soules to Gods Church by the Word than to conquer men to a subjection by the Sword Yet since the order of Gods wisdome and providence hath for the most part alwaies distinguished the gifts and offices of Kings of Priests of Princes and Preachers both in the Jewish and Christian Churches I am sorry to find My selfe reduced to the necessity of being both or enjoying neither For such as seek to deprive Me of Kingly Power and Soveraignty would no lesse enforce Me to live many Months without all Prayers Sacraments and Sermons unlesse I become My owne Chaplaine As I owe the Clergy the protection of a Christian KING so I desire to enjoy from them the benefit of their gifts and prayers which I look upon as more prevalent than My owne or other mens by how much they flow from minds more enlightned and affections lesse distracted than those which are encombred with secular affaires besides I think a greater blessing and acceptablenesse attends those duties which are rightly performed as proper to and within the limits of that calling to which God and the Church have specially designed and consecrated some men And however as to that Spirituall Government by which the devout Soule is subject to Christ and through his merits daily offers it self and its services to GOD every private believer is a King and Priest invested with the honour of a Royall Priesthood yet as to Ecclesiasticall order and the outward polity of the Church I think confusion in Religion will as certainly follow every mans turning Priest or Preacher as it will in the State where every one affects to rule as King I was alwaies bred to more modest and I think more pious Principles the consciousnesse to My spirituall defects makes Me more prize and desire those pious assistances which holy and good Ministers either Bishops or Presbyters may afford Me especially in these extremities to which God hath been pleased to suffer some of My Subjects to reduce Me so as to leave them nothing more but My life to take from Me and to leave Me nothing to desire which I thought might lesse provoke their jealousie and offence to deny Me than this of having some meanâ—s afforded Me for My Soules comfort and support To which end I made choice of men as no way that I know scandalous so every way eminent for their learning and piety no lesse than for their Loyalty nor can I imagine any exceptions to be made against them but only this that they may seem too able and too well affected toward Me and My service But this is
though thou hast not punished us according to our sins Turne thee O Lord unto me have mercy upon me for I am desolate and afflicted The sorrowes of my heart are enlarged O bring thou me out of my troubles Hast thou forgotten to be gracious and shut up thy loving kindnesse in displeasure O remember thy compassions of old and thy loving kindnesses which have been for many generations I had utterly fainted if I had not beleeved to see thy goodnesse in the land of the living Let not the sinnes of our prosperity deprive us of the benefit of thy afflictions Let this fiery triall consume the drosse which in long peace and plenty we had contracted Though thou continuest miseries yet withdraw not thy grace what is wanting of prosperity make up in patience and repentance And if thy anger be not to be yet turned away but thy hand of justice must be stretched out still Let it I beseech thee be against me and my Fathers house as for these sheep what have they done Let my sufferings satiate the malice of mine and thy Churches Enemies But let their cruelty never exceed the measure of my charity Banish from me all thoughts of Revenge that I may not lose the reward nor thou the glory of my patience As thou givest me a heart to forgive them so I beseech thee doe thou forgive what they have done against thee and me And now ô Lord as thou hast given me an heart to pray unto thee so hear and accept this Vow which I make before thee If thou wilt in mercy remember Me and my Kingdomes In continuing the light of thy Gospell and setling thy true Religion among us In restoring to us the benefit of the Lawes and the due execution of Iustice. In suppressing the many Schismes in Church and Factions in State If thou wilt restorâ— me and mine to the Ancient rights and glory of my Predecessours If thou wilt turne the heâ—rts of my people to thy self in Piety to me in Loyalty and to one another in Charity If thou wilt quench the flames and withdraw the fewell of these Civill Warres If thou wilt blesse us with the freedome of publick Counsels and deliver the Honour of Parliaments from the insolencie of the vulgar If thou wilt keep me from the great offence of enacting any thing against my Conscience and especially from consenting to sacrilegious rapines and spoilings of thy Church If thou wilt restore me to a capacity to glorifie thee in doing good both to the Church and State Then shall my soul praise thee and magnifie thy name before my People Then shall thy glory be dearer to me then my Crownes and the advancement of true Religion both in purity and power be my chiefest care Then will I rule my People with Iustice and â—y Kingdomes with equity To thy more immediate hand shall I ever own as the rightfull succession so the mercifull restauration of My Kingdomes and the glory of them If thou wilt bring Me again with peace safety and â—onour to My chiefest City and my Parliament If thou wilt againe put the Sword of Iustice into My hand to punish and protect Then will I make all the world to see and my very Enemies to enjoy the benefit of this Vow and resolution of Christian charity which I now make unto thee O Lord. As I doe freely pardon for Christ's sake those that have offended me in any kind so my hand shall never be against any man to revenge what is past in regard of any particular injury done to me We have been mutually punished in our unnaturall divisions for thy sake O Lord and for the love of my Redeemer have I purposed this in my heart That I will use all means in the waies of amnesty and indempnity which may most fully remove all feares and bury all jealousies in forgetfulnesse Let thy mercies be toward me and mine as my resolutions of Truth and Peace are toward my People Heare my prayer O Lord which goeth not out of fayned lips Blessed be God who hath not turned away my prayer nor taken his mercy from me O my soule commit thy way to the Lord trust in him and he shall bring it to passe But if thou wilt not restore me and mine what am I that I should charge thee foolishly Thou O Lord hast given and thou hast taken Blessed be thy name May my People and thy Church be happy if not by me yet without me 26. Vpon the Armies Surprisall of the KING at Holmeby and the ensuing distractions in the two Houses the Army and the City WHat part God will have me now to act or suffer in this new and strange scene of affaires I am not much solicitous some little practise will serve that man who onely seeks to represent a part of honesty and honour This surprize of Me tells the world that a KING cannot be so low but He is consideraâ—le adding weight to that Party where he appeares This motion like others of the Times seems excentrique and irregular yet not well to be resisted or quieted Better swim down such a stream than in vain to strive against it These are but the struglings of those twins which lately one womb enclosed the younger striving to prevaile against the elder what the Presbyterians have hunted after the Independents now seek to catch for themselves So impossible is it 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 That the Builders of Babel should from division fall to confusion is no wonder but for those that pretend to build Ierusalem to divide their tongues and hands is but an ill â—men and sounds too like the fury of those Zealots whose intestine bitternesse and divisions were the greatest occasion of the last fatall destruction of that City Well may I change my Keepers and Prison but not my captive condition onely with this hope of bettering that those who are so much professed Patrons for the Peoples Liberties cannot be utterly against the Liberty of their KING what they demand for their owne Consciences they cannot in Reason deny to Mine In this they seem more ingenuous than â—â—e Presbyterian rigour who sometimes complaining of exacting their conformity to laws are become the greatest Exactors of other mens submission to their novell injunctions before they are stamped with the Authority of Lawes which they cannot well have without My conâ—ent 'T is a great argument that the Independents think themselves manumitted from their Rivals service in that they carry on a businesse of such consequence as the assuming My Person into the Armies custody without any Commission but that of their owne will and power Such as will thus adventure on a King must not be thought over-modest or timerous to carry on any designe they have a mind to Their next motion menaces and scares both the two Houses and the City which soone
of all have excited to crucifie Me. But thou O Lord canst and wilt as thou didst My Redeemer both exalt and perfect Me by My sufferings which have moâ—e in them of thy mercy than of mans cruelty or thy owne justice 27. To the Prince of VVales SOn if these Papers with some others wherein I have set down the private reflections of My Conscience and My most impartiall thoughts touching the chiefe passages which have been most remarkable or disputed in My late troubles come to your hands to whom they are chiefly designed they may be so far usefull to you as to state your judgement aright in what hath passed whereof a pious is the best use can be made and they may also give you some directions how to remedy the present distempers and prevent if God will the lâ—ke for time to come It is some kind of deceiving and lessening the injury of My long restraint when I find My leisure and solitude have produced something worthy of My self and usefull to you That neither you nor any other may hereafter measure My Cause by the Successe nor My Judgment of things by My misfortunes which I count the greater by farre because they have so farre lighted upon you and some others whom I have most cause to love as well as My self and of whose unmerited sufferings I have a greater sense then of Mine own But this advantage of wisedome you have above most Princes that you have begun and now spent some yeares of discretion in the experience of troubles and exercise of patience wherein Piety and all Vertues both Morall and Politicall are commonly better planted to a thriving as trees set in winter then in the warmth and serenity of times or amidst those delights which usually attend Princes Courts in times of peace and plenty which are prone either to root up all plants of true Vertue and Honour or to be contented only with some leaves and withering formalities of them without any reall fruits such as tend to the Publick good for which Princes should alwayes remember they are born and by providence desigâ—ed The evidence of which different education the holy Writ affords us in the contemplation of David and Rehoboam The one prepared by many afflictions for a flourishing Kingdom the other softned by the unparalel'd prosperity of Solomons Court and so corrupted to the great diminution both for Peace Honour and Kingdome by those flatteries which are as unseparable from prosperous Princes as Flies are from fruit in summer whom adversity like cold weather drives away I had rather you should be Charles le Bow then le Grand good then great I hope God hath designed you to be both having so early put you into that exercise of his Graces and gifts bestowed upon you which may best weed out all vicious inclinations and dispose you to those Princely endowments and employments which will most gain the love and intend the welfare of those over whom God shall place you With God I would have you begin and end who is King of Kings the Soveraign disposer of the Kingdomes of the world who pulleth downe one and setteth up another The best Government and highest Soveraignty you can attain to is to be subject to him that the Scepter of his Word and Spirit may rule in your heart The true glory of Princes consists in advancing Gods Glory in the maintenance of true Religion and the Churches good Also in the dispensation of civill Power with Justice and Honour to the publick Peace Piety will make you prosperous at least it will keep you from being miserable nor is he much a loser that loseth all yet saveth his owne soule at last To which Center of true Happinesse God I trust hath and will graciously direct all these black lines of Affliction which he hath been pleased to draw on me and by which he hath I hope drawn me nearer to himself You have already tasted of that cup whereof I have liberally drank which I look upon as Gods Physick having that in healthfulnesse which it wants in pleasure Above all I would have you as I hope you are already well-grounded and setled in your Religion The best profession of which I have ever esteemed that of the Church of England in which you have been educated yet I would have your own Judgement and Reason now seal to that sacred bond which education hath written that it may be judiciously your own Religion and not other mens custome or tradition which you professe In this I charge you to persevere as comming nearest to Gods Word for Doctrine and to the primitive examples for Government with some little amendment which I have other where expressed and often offered though in vain Your fixation in matters of Religion will not be not more necessary for your soules then your Kingdomes peace when God shall bring you to them For I have observed that the Devill of Rebellion doth commonly turn hâ—mself into an Angell of Reformation and the old Serpent can pretend new Lights When some mens Consciences accuse them for Sedition and Faction they stop its mouth with the name and noise of Religion when Piety pleads for peace and patience they cry out Zeale So that unlesse in this point You be well setled you shall never want temptations to destroy you and yours under pretensions of reforming matters of Religion for that seemes even to worst men as the best and most auspicious beginning of their worst designes Where besides the Novelty which is taking enough with the Vulgar every one hath an affectation by seeming forward to an outward Reformation of Religion to be thought zealous hoping to cover those irreligious deformities whereto they are conscious by aseverity of censuring other mens opinions or actions Take heed of abetting any Factions or applying to any publick Discriminations in matters of Religion contrary to what is in your Judgement and the Church well setled your partiall adhering as head to any one side gaines you not so great advantages in some mens hearts who are prone to be of their Kings Religion as it losâ—th you in others who think themselves and their profession first despised then persecuted by you Take such a course as may either w th calmnes charity quite remove the seeming differences and offences by impartiality or so order affaires in point of Power that you shal not need to fear or flatter any Faction For if ever you stand in need of them or must stand to their courtesie you are undone The Serpent will devour the Dove you may never expect lesse of loyalty justice or humanity than from those who engage into religious Rebellion Their interest is alwaies made Gods under the colours of Piety ambitious policies march not onely with greatest security but applause as to the populacy you may heare from them Iacob's voice but you shall feele they have Esau's hands Nothing seemed lesse considerable than the Presbyterian Faction in England for many
and You that grace which will teach and enable Us to want as well as to weare a Crowne which is not worth taking up or enjoying upon â—ordid dishonourable and irreligious tearms Keep You to true principles of piety vertue and honour You shall never want a Kingdome A principall point of Your honour will consist in Your deferring all respect love and protection to Your Mother My Wife who hath many waies deserved well of Me and chiefly in this that having been a means to blessâ— Me with so many hopefull Children all which with their Mother I recommend to Your love and care She hath been content with incomparable magnanimity and patience to suffer both for and with Me and You. My prayer to God Almighty isâ— whatever becomes of Me who am I thank God wrapt up and fortified in My own Innocency and his Grace that he would be pleased to make You an Anchor or Harbour rather to these tossed and weather-beaten Kingdomes a Repairer by Your wisdome justice piety and valour of what the folly and wickednesse of some men have so farre ruined as to leave nothing entire in Church or State to the Crown the Nobility the Clergy or the Commons either as to Lawes Liberties Estates Order Honour Conscience or lives When they have destroyed Me for I know not how farre God may permit the malice and cruelty of My Enemies to proceed and such apprehensions some mens words and actions have already given Me as I doubt not but My bloud will cry aloud for vengeance to heaven so I beseech God not to poure out his wrath upon the generality of the People who have either deserted Me or engaged against Me through the artifice and hypocrisie of their Leaders whose inward horrour will be their first Tormenter nor will they escape exemplary judgments For those that loved Me I pray God they may have no misse of Me when I am gone so much I wish and hope that all good Subjects may be satisfied with the blessings of Your presence and virtues For those that repent of any defects in their duty toward Me as I freely forgive them in the word of a Christian KING so I believe You will find them truly Zealous to repay with interest that loyalty and love to You which was due to Me. In summe what good I intended doe You performe when God shall give You power much good I have offered more I purposed to Church State if times had been capable of it The deception will soone vanish and the Vâ—zards will fall off apace This maske of Religion on the face of Rebellion for so it now plainly appears since My Restraint and cruell usage that they sought not for Me as was pretended will not long serve to hide some mens deformities Happy times I hope attend You wherein Your Subjects by their miseries will have learned That Religion to their God and Loyalty to their King cannot be parted without both their sin and their infelicity I pray God blesse You and establish Your Kingdomes in righteousnesse Your Soule in true Religion and Your honour in the love of God and Your people And if God will have disloyalty perfected by My destruction let My memory ever with My name live in you as of Your Father that loves You and once a KING of three flourishing Kingdomes whom God thought fit to honour not onely with the Scepter and Government of them but also with the suffering many indignities and an untimely death for them while I studied to preserve the rights of the Church the power of the Lawes the honour of My Crowne the priviledge of Parliaments the liberties of My People and My owne Conscience which I thank God is dearer to Me than a thousand Kingdomes I know God can I hope he yet will restore Me to My Rights I cannot despaire either of his mercy or of My Peoples love and pity At worst I trust I shall but go before You to a better Kingdome which God hath prepared for Me and Me for it through My Saviour Jesus Christ to whose mercies I commend You and all Mine Farewell till We meet if not on Earth yet in Heaven Meditations upon Death after the Votes of Non-Addresses and HIS MAJESTIES closer Imprisonment in Carisbrooke-Castle AS I have leisure enough so I have cause more than enough to meditate upon and prepare for My Death for I know there are but few steps between the Prisons and Graves of Princes It is Gods indulgence which gives Me the space but Mans cruelty that gives Me the sad occasions for these thoughts For besides the common burthen of moâ—tality which lies upon Me as a Man I now bear the heavy load of other mens ambitions fears jealousies and cruell passions whose envy or enmity against Me makes their owne lifes seem deadly to them while I enjoy any part of Mine I thank God My prosperity made Me not wholly a Stranger to the contemplations of mortality Those are never unseasonable since this is alwaies uncertaine Death being an eclipse which oft happeneth as well in clear as cloudy daies But My now long and sharp adversity hath so reconciled in Me those naturall Antipathies between Life and Death which are in all men that I thank God the common terrors of it are dispelled and the speciall horrour of it as to My particular much allayed for although My death at present may justly be represented to Me with all those terrible aggravations which the policy of cruell and implacable enemies can put upon it affaires being drawn to the very dregs of malice yet I blesse God I can look upon all those stings as unpoysonous though sharp since My Redeemer hath either pulled them out or given Me the antidote of his Death against them which as to the immaturity unjustice shame scorne and cruelty of it exceeded whatever I can feare Indeed I never did find so much the life of Religion the feast of a good Conscience and the brazen wall of a judicious integrity and constancy as since I came â—o these closer conflicts with the thoughts of Death I am not so old as to be weary of life nor I hope so bad as to be either afraid to die or ashamed to live true I am so afflicted as might make Me sometime even desire to die if I did not consider That it is the greatest glory of a Christians life to dailyâ— in conquering by a lively faith and patient hopes of a better life those partiall and quotidian deaths which kill us as it were by piece-meales and make us overlive our owne 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 Though as a KING I think My self to live in nothing temporall so much as in the love and good-will of My People for which as I have suffered many deaths so I hope I am not in that point as yet wholly dead notwithstanding My