people they slandered the foote-steps of Gods anointed their tongues and their pennes too were sharper than swords piercing deepe into his soule many scandalous pamphlets were every day cast abroad which as he saies in his booke like sparkes in great conflagrations did flie up and downe to set all places on fire From every pulpit was sounded a trumpet to rebellion the Embassadors of peace being made the heralds of warre And as our Saviour by the pharisees was called an impostor a deceiver and perverter of the people a blasphemer a Samaritan and one that had a devill So such language and worse too was bestowed upon his Sacred Majesty by a pharisaicall broode of men who are great pretenders to religion but utterly void of it They have a shew of godlinesse but have denyed the power thereof Ioh. 8.59 When our Saviour was at Ierusalem the pharisees stird up the people to stone him whereupon he withdrew himself so when the King was at Westminster tumults were raised stones and blasphemies cast out against him that he was faine to remove from thence and then they cryed out against him for deserting his Parliament though it was the thing they most desired and they knew very well that he would have been glad to be with his Parliament as he often offered if he could have been there with any safety Being thus forced to retire from London they seized all his houses and furniture forts magazins ships and revenues they hunted him like a partridge from mountaine to mountaine that he might have justly taken up the complaint of our Saviour Mat. 8.20 that The foxes had holes and the birds of the aire had nests but himselfe had not where to lay his head When our Saviour had withdrawne himselfe from Ierusalem The Chiefe Priests and the Pharisees gave a commandement Ioh. 11.57 that if any man knew where he were he should shew it that they might take him So upon his Majesties flight such a commandement was given a more cruell and bloudy ordinance was made that whosoever should harbour or conceale the Kings person or did know where he was harboured unlesse he did immediately reveale it should forfeite his estate and die without mercy as a traitor As our Saviour was rejected of his owne people Ioh. 1.11 He came unto his owne and they received him not So was our Soveraigne rejected by his owne people they would not owne him for their King but disclaimed his authority and yeelded their service unto his enemies and as the Iewes denyed the holy one and the just and desired a murtherer to be granted to them Act. 3.14 So they denyed their holy and righteous King and desired the Parliament might rule over them in this they preferred robbers and murtherers worse than Barabas choosing rather to live in bondage under their Iron yoke than to injoy the liberty of subjects under the peaceable governement of a most gracious King As our saviour was rejected by his owne people so was he forsaken of his owne Disciples when the time came that he was to make his soule an offering for sinne then one of his owne Disciples betrayed him an other denyed him all forsooke him Isa 63.6 and left him to tread the winepresse alone So when our Soveraigns afflictions grew great some of his servants betrayed him like Iudas others denyed him and almost all forsooke him albeit they had got well by him yet they were loth to suffer with him And which was yet much worse he was forceably deprived of the comfort of his dearest wife his most sweet and beloved children and for a long time had none to converse with but beasts more savage than those which did company with our Saviour in the wildernesse When Christ was on the crosse one of the theeves who was crucified with him railed on him because he did not relieve them so when our Soveraigne was at Oxford some who suffered with him upbraided him and added griefe to his afflicted soule even railing on him because he did not helpe them when indeed he could not As our Saviour was tempted so was our Soveraigne tempted to distrust to perjury to sacrilege to atheisme tempted to deny God by forsaking his religion and destroying the church which his righteous soule abhorred As the devill made great proffers unto Christ of all the Kingdomes of the world saying All these will I give thee Mat. 4 9. if thou wilt fall downe and worship me So great proffers were made unto our Soveraigne that they would make him a glorious King if he would humble himself unto his Parliament and worship the Idoll which they had set up Besides his soule was daily tortured with reiterated unreasonable propositions and insolent demands as absurd as those which the devill made unto Christ The enemies of our Saviour sought how they might take him by craft and put him to death Much more craft and deceit too was used to catch our Soveraigne in their pit Mark 14.1 As when Christ was at Ierusalem the Pharisees not daring then to lay hands on him because they feared the people sought to fright him with Herod Saying unto him get thee out Luk. 13.31 and depart hence for Herod will kill thee when it was they themselves that intended to kill him So when his Majestie was at Hampton Court his enemies perceiving that the hearts of the people were so turned towards him that it was not safe to lay violent hands on him they did cunningly suggest feares unto him that there was a plot to kill him and so they made him flie into the snare which they had layed for him in the I le of Wight where they thought that Rolph should have dispatched him by poison or poinard but that being discovered they resolved to doe it in a more publicke way Our saviour was apprehended at night Mat. 26.51 so was our Soveraigne in a darke cold winter night taken out of his bed in the I le of Wight and carried unto Hurst Castle Mat. 25.59 They sought false witnesse against our Saviour so did they against our Soveraigne for open proclamation was made with sound of trumpet that all who could informe against the King should come to the painted chamber and give in their evidence and what was it they intended to prove even that he had done that whereof they themselves only were guilty in raising armes and making a warre in the Kingdom The people being suborned by the Priests cried against our Saviour Away with him John 19.15 crucifie him so some of the souldiers were suborned and hired to cry against our Soveraigne Justice Execution Our Saviour was mocked They wagged their heads at him so our Soveraigne had the tryall of cruell mockings Christ was reviled so was our Soveraigne reviled by his enemies especially their false Prophets Matth. 27.29 39 41. Hugh Peters instead of comfort did reach Gall and Vinegar unto Gods anointed in the agony of
his sufferings as the Jews formerly had done unto Christ Our Saviour was spit on so was our Soveraigne Matth. 27.30 John 18.12 Bradshaw and Cooke did spit out the froth of their ulcerous lungs against him to his face and a barbarous souldier did really spit in his face Our Saviour was bound so there was as intent to have bound our Soveraigne as himselfe observed on the Scaffold by the rings which were fastned to the block Our Saviour was watched the night before he suffered for he was apprehended at night in the Garden and carried away unto the High Priests house where he was haited all night in the morning sent to Pilate from him to Herod then back again to the common Judgement hall where he was condemned and at the third houre led forth to be crucified But our Soveraigne was watched many nights before he suffered for all the time of his tryall his chamber was filled with barbarous souldiers who deprived him of his rest and of all manner of privacy which was more bitter unto him then death At last our Saviour suffered death so did our Soveraigne at the very same houre of the day for our Saviour gave up the ghost at the ninth houre which is our three of the clock in the afternoon the same houre put a period to our Soveraignes life and to the happinesse of three Kingdomes I have now taken a briefe view of the paine in the next place consider the shame and then you will see a perfect crosse What greater shame and disgrace could be offered unto a King then instead of a Royall train a guard fitting the Majesty of his person to be watched and warded and dragged from place to place by the common souldiers the most rude and barbarous of all the people But in this he was like unto his Saviour also Matth. 26.25 They came against him as against a thiefe with swords and slaves As our Saviour was hurried from place to place from Annas to Caiphas from him to Pilat from Pilat to Herod and thence back to Pilat to the common Judgement hall so was our Soveraigne hurried from the Isle of Wight to Hurst castle from thence to Windsor from Windsor to St. James from thence to Westminster to the common Judgement hall to be tried as a malefactor at the Bar where no prisoner was ever tried but in the Kings name and by his authority for that Hall was never invested with any power of judicature without the King much lesse against him but as he sayes in his Book They thought fit to adde the mockery of justice to the cruelty of malice as they who crucified Christ that so they might destroy him with the greater pomp They pretended justice and religion to cover their perjury and paracide and so did establish iniquity by a Law and father their sin upon God who is the author of justice And as his tryall was publique and disgracefull so was his execution it hath been a custome to hang notorious traytors before their own doors for their greater shame so did they put our Soveraigne to death in a most insulting manner on an open scaffold erected before his Royall Pallace as if they meant to bid a defiance both to God and men Now joyn these together and tell me if ever any man might more justly then he take up that complaint which was uttered in the person of our Saviour by the Spirit of Prophecy Lam. 1.12 Behold and consider all ye that passe by if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow Let us now see how he did bear this even as his Saviour had done Hebr. 12.2 Who for the joy that was set before him endured the crosse despising the shame He contemned an earthly Crown for the assured hope he had of an immortall Crown that fadeth not away and so like his Saviour when he was reviled he reviled not again but was led as a sheep unto the slaughter Luc. 23.34 and opened not his mouth As Christ prayed for them that crucified him so did our Soveraigne poure out many devout prayers for his enemies which might serve to melt their hearts if they were not harder then the nether mill stone As Christ wept over Jerusalem so did our Soveraigne weep over his three Kingdoms Luc. 19 41. being more sorry for the miseries that are to come upon them Luc. 23.74 Vers 28. then for all that hath happened unto himselfe As women beholding Christs passion wept so many women beholding their Soveraigne on a Scaffold wept bitterly unto whom he might have said as our Saviour did unto the other Weep not for me yeâ— daughters of Jerusalem Eph. 5.25 but weep for your selves Christ gave himselfe for the Church he dyed for the people so our Soveraigne in another sense gave himselfe for the Church and died for his people for he might have saved his life if he would have consented to destroy the Church and enslave his people So that as he said on the Scaffold he was the martyr of the people Matth. 26.39 martyred by them and for them When our Saviours agony began he prayed unto his father that that Cup might passe from him Hebr. 5 7. but with a submission to his will He offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death So was our Soveraigne frequent and instant in prayer unto God but as for removing the bitter cup he was to drink he prayed only with a submisâ—â—â—â— unto the will of his heavenly father Luke 22.48 When our Saviour was in his agony There appeared an Angel unto him from Heaven strengthning him so almighty God did from above minister abundance of comfort unto our Soveraigne otherwaies it had not been possible for him to have endured his crosse with such cheerfull patience as he did When Christ was apprehended he wrought a miraculous cure for an enemy healing Malcus his eare Luke 22.53 after it was cut off so it is well known that God enabled our Soueraigne when he was in prison to work many wonderfull cures even for his enemies and yet all that could not move these hard-hearted Jewes who sought his life he might have said unto them as our Saviour did unto the other Many good works have I shewed you John 10.32 Matth. 27.52 for which of them do you persecute me When our Saviour suffered there were terrible signs and wonders for there was darknesse over all the Land the earth did shake the Rocks clave asunder the vaile of the Temple was rent and the graves were opened so during the time of our Soveraignes tryall there were strange signs seen in the sky in divers places of the Kingdome and it was thought very prodigious that when he suffered the Ducks forsook their pond at St. James and came as far as Whitehall fluttering about the Scaffold so that our Soveraigne might have said unto his murderers as it
us be zealous to advance the Kingdom of our glorious martyr in the person of his Sonne Let the same spirit inflame us which came upon Amasa 1 Chr. 22.11 Then the spirit came upon Amasa and he said thine are we O David and on thy side thou sonne of Jesse peace peace be unto thee and to thine helpers for thy God helpeth thee Indeed God is the Guardian of Kings hath a speciall care of their preservation because they are his Deputies and Vicegerents on Earth by whom he procureth the safety of his people And therefore he hath been often seen to stretch out his naked arme for their defence And his arm now is not shortned nor his affection changed and therefore in his own good time when he hath chastized us for our sins he will certainly Sir look upon the justice of Your cause he will bruise your Enemies with a rod of Iron he will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel for Your cause is Gods own cause And as it is Gods cause so it is the cause of all Kings they are deeply concerned in it and ought to pursue those bloudy Paracides who now invade your Throne tanquam hostes humani generis as the common Enemies of mankind and violaters of the law of nature who have dissolved the bonds of humane society and overthrowne the order of God and nature ANd now to draw to a conclusion I will reflect a little upon my Text. The Apostle tels us Iam. 3.17 that the ignorance of the wisdom of God led the Jews to the committing of that horrible murther For if they had known it they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory I may say so much of the murtherers of our Soveraigne they were ignorant of the wisdom of God because utterly destitute of the true Religion for the true Religion is the wisdom of God The wisdome that is from above which as St. James sayes is first pure then peaceable c. The true Religion is said to be pure because as Lactantius observes it allows of nothing which in it self is evill or known to be evill by the light of nature and so it alloweth in no way of any Rebellion against Princes The true Religion delivered unto us in Scripture and â—â—â—â—ed in the true ancient and Catholick Church doth teach us to honour and obey the King as Gods Minister set over us and â—hat the injuries of Kings though never so great are to be indured by their Subjects who have no otheâ— remedy and are to use no other Arms against their King be he never so wicked but prayers and tears that they are to pray for him unto God who hath the hearts of King in his hand and can turn them when he thinks fit That in no case they are to resiâ—â— the King by force nor take upon them to judge him becâ—aâ—e he hath no Superior here on Earth but is reserved to Gods tribunall to whom only he oweth an account of his actions As for that doctrine of opposing deposing and killing of Kings it was first brocht in the Court of Rome a thousand yeers after Christ to maintain the Popes faction against the Emperor and other Princes and hath been since hotly defended by the Jesuits and others of the Popes parasites and what they have spued out of their mouth the Puritanes have licked up borrowing all their arguments and indeed have gone so far beyond their Masters in all treasonable doctrins and practice that in comparison of them even the Jesuits now may be accounted loyall Subjects But that is not the wisdom of God But the wisdom of this world that come to nought Vers 6. James 3.15 That wisdome descendeth not from above but is earthly sensual axd divellish The Church of England did abhor that doctrine of resistance and in the point of subjection as in other things followed the true ancient Catholick Church That Religion onely among all Christian Religions doth promise safety and security to Kings submitting them neither to Pope Parliament Presbytery nor People but unto God only by whom and from whom they raigne In the profession and maintenance of that Religion which your glorious Father seal'd with his bloud God will yet establish your Throne and make you to possesse the Gates of your enemies which Almighty God grant c. FINIS
death He was delivered to death for our offences So the sinnes of every one of us hath added force unto this great stroke and wound given unto these Kingdoms in his Majestâ—es death As the good King Josiah was taken away by a violent death for the sins of Iudah that God might the more freely powre out the fiercnesse of his wrath so was our Gracious Soveraigne taken away for the punishment of our sinnes that the iniquities of these sinfull nations being now finished and come to an height by an horrible rebellion and particide hee might powre out the violls of his wrath upon them there being now nothing to hinder the stroke of his vengeance when he is taken away yea made away by themselves who like Moses stood in the gap between the sinnes of his people and Gods judgements So that we may all of us take up that lamentation Lam. 5.16 which the Church made for the death of Iosiah The Crownt is fallen from our head woe unto us that we have sinned But howsoever our Saviour had many enemies yet his most violent adversaries were the Pharisees and if you will but observe how they are described unto us in the Gospell Ill all not need to make any application The Pharisees were the most strict and precise sect of the Jewes Matth. 6.16 the Puritans of that age they were men of a sad countenance and great austerity they did bow down their heads like a Bulrush when as their inward parts burnt altogether with deceipt they were outwardly though hypocritically holy Whited sepulchers beautifull without and within full of uncleanesse Great pretenders they were to religion and desired to be accounted more pure than others Matth. 23.27 the only saints upon earth and so did separate from the rest of the Church and from thence were they called Pharisees Matth. 6.5.7 Matth. 23.14.12.2 Luke 11.45.46 They pretended especially such of that sect as were Scribs great knowledge of the Scriptures and revelations of the Spirit they were much for preaching made long prayers and that openly to be seen of men used vaine repetitions Under colour of long prayers they devoured widdowes houses They were superstitiously zealous of keeping the Sabboth but great profaners of the temple they made Gods house a house of merchandise and Denne of theeves for which they were sharply reproved by our Saviour as they often quarelled him for breaking the Sabboth Whereas the fift commandement injoynes us to honour our Father not onely our naturall Father Mark 7.11 but also our civill father who is Parens Patriae they made this commandement void by their Corban that is a gift where by Gods cause or rather their own ends is advanced They did draw the people after them who were so much addicted unto them that they would not beleeve nor follow any without their allowance for that is the rule they gave to the people Ioh. 7.28 Have any of the Pharisees beleeved on him And indeed their faction was so popular that as Iâ—â—ephus testifieth they governed not onely Jerusalem but all Judea too They did bind heavy burdens upon other mens shoulders Matth. 23.4 Vers 6. Vers 23. which themselves did not bear and so they made the way to heaven straite to others and wide to themselves They were invited to feasts and loved to sit at the head of the Table They made conscience of smaller matters as of ceremonies but omitted the weightier matters of the law judgement and mercy Now would you not thinke that the soules of these Pharisees by a pythagorean transmigration were entred into our new reformers As the murtherers of our Soveraign resemble the crucifiers of our Saviour so we find them acting all the same parts And first Judas who sold his Master of all that conspired against Christ is most odious for he was his disciple a domestick servant one whom he trusted with his purse and yet he his familiar friend who did eat of his bread lift up the heele against him So our Soveraigne was sold at a greater price than our Saviour by those who had as neere a relation unto him as Iudas had unto Christ for they were his countrey men brought up with him his servants and familiar friends whom he trusted with his purse with his counsels and his person cherished in his bosome and inriched with many princely favours In many respects they were farre worse than Iudas for when Iudas sold his Master he thought he would not have suffered but have escaped by a miracle as he had sometimes done before This is the conjecture of the Fathers and may be probably gathered out of the Text for it is said Then Iudas when he saw that he was condemned Matth. 27.3 repeated himself so that before he thought it should not have come to that but that Christ would have escaped and he gone away with the money But the Judases who sold their Soveraign knew very well that he could not escape being delivered into the hands of his enemies Againe Judas saw not the horror of his sinn before hee had committed it if he had it is probable he would not have done it but these men saw and knew very well what horrible fact it was to deliver up their King as may appear by Lowdon his Speech therein he professed that it is against the law of Nations for them to deliver up a stranger who had put himselfe under their protection much more to deliver their King And yet all that was onely for forme sake that he might better beat the bargain and raise the price as did appeare by the event Besides they have acted many more parts than Judas did for they were the first that tooke armes against him ingaging all his Subjects by a solemn League and Covenant to distroy the Church and the King they devested him of all authority within that Kingdome Seazed his Castles and revenewes and by their example and Covenant incouraged their Brethren in England to doe the like and when his Majesty was like to have prevailed against his Rebels in England they notwithstanding that the King to secure them on his side had gratified them by granting them all their unreasonable and impious demands yet came in the second time with a great army to assist strangers against their naturall King And they have persecuted all the Kings party in that Kingdom imprisoning banishing forfeiting and barborously murthering even under colour of justice all that adhered unto him Alas poor Judas did none of these things but would have rescued his Master out of the councels hands if it had beene in his power and yet because he sold him for money he is odious and infamous unto all generations Oh then what shall these men be Finally Iudas repented was swallowed up of sorrow confessed his sinne made restitution for he gave back the money and made some satisfaction too for hee tooke revenge upon himselfe when he betook him to the halter But we
see not as yet so much repentance in these Judaises Here let no man thinke that I charge that horrible crime upon the Scottish Nation I know it was not the fault of the Nation but of that religion wherein most of them were brought up Yea and albeit the greatest part of that Nation be infected with the leaven of Knox and Buchanan yet are they not all alike guilty Some of them and the farre greatest part were meerly cousened out of their loyalty 1 Sam. 15.11 by their blind guides Like those wo hundred who followed Absolom out of Jerusalem in their simplicity knowing no thing of his treason for they were made to beleeve that their religion was in danger to be overthrowne and that they were bound in conscience to take armes to defend it and to assist their brethren in England yet so as that they never intended any violence unto the Kings person and did from the bottome of their hearts abhorre the delivering him up unto his enemies Others againe never approved of any of their proceedings against the King knowing that their rebellion was most unlawfull yet did they in some sort comply with the Rebels for fear of losing their estates their liberties their lives these are more like unto Peter who out of fear denyed his Master than to Iudas who sold him out of covetousnesse Besides both these there are many other noble Gentlemen who expressed as much loyalty to their Soveraigne as ever subjects did and gave as good proofe of it by their service under the banner of that most renowned Lord the Lord Marquis of Montrosse the glory of this age and honour of this Nation All these being deducted it will appear that it was the smallest part of that Nation who acted Judas his part howsoever by craft they had got the power into their hands and used the tongues of their fiery preachers to charm the discontended people from making any opposition against their proceedings And even these too as infamous as they are have not dishonoured their Nation more than their brethren of England have done theirs as the Scribes and Pharisees expressed more malice against our Saviour than Judas did so those who murthered our Soveraign expressed more malice than they that sold him and are to be accounted the greater Traytors because of the reward which they gaâ—e unto the other For God himself aggravates he whordome of Israel by this circumstance that she gave a reward unto her lovers Ezech 16.33.34 Thou art not like other women for they receive gifts but thou givest a reward to all thy lovers As she is a more shamelesse whore who hires men for her lust than she that prostitutes her body for a reward so are they to be accounted the greatest Traytors who not only did rise up against their Soveraign but also hired others into a Rebellion and to betray him into their hands From Judas come we to the great councell The Parliament is the great Councell and hath acted all and more against their Lord and Soveraign than the other did against Christ they consulted how to put him to death gave mony to betray him sent souldiers to apprehend him In that great Councell Annas and Caiphas were chiefe In this Cromwell and Ireton and Cromwell prophecyed a Caiphas did using almost the same words Jt is expedient that he dye aâ—d unlesse he dye the Nation will perish Bradshaw and Cook are the Scrâ—bs and Lawyers who fiercely pursued him they curst themselves with his bloud as the others did with Christs for Bradshaw spoke to this purpose on the Bench Our Lives are threatned if wee medle with his blood but whatsoever shall befall us we will doe justice upon him And is not this just as the Scribes and Pharisees said His bloud be upon us and on our Children Fairfax was Pilat the Governour Matth. 27.25 who seemed unwilling to consent to his death and sought to wash his hands of his bloud by laying it upon others And his wife Lady Pylat who diswaded the murther of our Soveraign more than the other did the killing of Christ The Army are the Souldiers who apprehended him watched him mocked him reviled him cryed justice and execution against him and at last crucified him and parted his garments amongst them Revel 11.8 And London is the great city spiritually Sodome where our Lord was crucified We have now taken a view of the actors in both tragedies and of their severall parts in the third place if you will consider their proceedings you shall find them alike too save only that the proceedings against our Soveraign were more illegall and in many things more cruell Their accusation against Christ was onely generall that he was a blasphemer a deceaver and one that perverted the nation but wherein they could not shew dolus versatur in generalibus So was the charge against our Soveraign generall and as farre from truth too as that he was a tyrant and which is ridiculous a Traytor but they could prove no particular crime against him When Pilat desired the Jewes to bring a particular accusation against Jesus shewing what evill he had done They answered if he were not a malefactor Matth. 22.23 Joh. 18.30 we would not have delivered him up unto thee And such is the plea that the murtherers use for themselves if the King had not been a wicked tyrant the Parliament would not have used him as they have done The Jewes pretended a Law for killing of Christ saying unto Pilat who was a stranger We have a Law and by our law he ought to die But they had no such law to produce Ioh. 19.7 So the murtherers of our Soveraign labour to perswade strangers that they acted according to the Laws of their own Land but their consciences can tell them that they did it without Law and quite contrary to the Law of the land the Law of God the Law of nature and nations Christ was condemned not by any rule of Law but by the vote of Parliament Caiphas asked the question What think ye they answered he is guilty of death So was our Soveraign condemned by vote Matth. 26.66 Crumwell the Caiphas asked the rest What think ye and they all being packt by him and chosen for the purpose answered he is worthy to die In Christs first triall before the great councell his enemies were his judges but in his second triall when he was sentenced to death Pilat onely was judge who was willing to have released him and his enemies were only his accusers but in the whole proceedings against our Soveraign his enemies were not only accusers and parties but also his judges the most professed enemies he had and the most desperate Traytors that ever the sunne did shine on who had acted so much villany that they could not imagine any safety for themselves unlesse he were destroyed and all that belong unto him The Jewes confessed that they had no power of life
and death saying It is not lawfull for us to put any man to death Joh. 18.31 But that high court of justice as they term it which was erected for his Majesties triall had lesse power it was not lawfull for them to put any man to death much lesse their Soveraign for the great councell of the Jewes had some power being instituted by God himselfe it was proper for them to judge of blasphemy if they had judged aright though power of life and death was taken from them by the Roman conquerour but the court that condemned our Soveraign had no power at all neither is it any court as not being instituted by any who had authority they did honour themselves and so their honour is nothing The great councell that condemned Christ was rightly constituted of all its members and under no force so was not the councell that condemned our Soveraign for the better part of it the house of the Lords was wholly layed aside and the house of Commons often purged so that the tenth man legally elected was not present and those that were their under such a force that they must say and doe as their Caiphas would have them Ioh. 8.54 Christ was allowed to speake for himself and Pilat desired him to make answer unto those things they witnessed against him and marvelled greatly that he answered not But our Soveraign was not allowed to speak for himself he was condemned before he was heard Matth. 27.13.14 Bradshaw and Cook two foule mouthed Dogges interrupted him and told him plainly that the court would not allow him to speak nor hear his reasons for they knew well that they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spak So that their proceedings were more illegall than the proceedings of the Jewes And as their proceedings were more illegall so in many things more cruell too Ioh. 19.25 Christs followers were not barred from comming unto him for his mother stood by the crosse and other women of her kindred so did the beloved Disciple but our Soveraign was not allowed any of his servants or friends to attend him during the time of his tryall and long before he could not so much as obtain any of his Chaplains to Minister ghostly comfort unto him which as he sayed in his Book Was a greater rigour and barbarity then is ever used by Christians to the meanest Prisoners and greatest malefactors whom though the justice of the Law deprive of worldly comforts yet the mercy of religion allows them the benefit of their clergy as not aiming at once to destroy their bodies and to damne their soules These murtherers were more cruell for having deprived him of all things else they were even loth that he should save his soul and therefore as they denyed him the service of his Chaplains so the souldiers by their rude and barbarous carriage in his Chamber did as much as they could hinder his private addresses unto God A great company of people and of women Luc. 23.27 bewailed and lamented Christs death without any check or reproof but men could not expresse any sorrow for his Majesties death without the danger of their own life and when some silly women wept bitterly seeing his Majesties execution they were mocked threatned and some of them beaten The Jews did not much trouble the followers of Christ before his death Joh. 9.35.12.10 only the blind man whom he cured was excommunicated for confessing him and Lazarus was threatned but none of them suffered yea when they apprehended our Saviour they suffered his Disciples to depart as he himself desired saying If ye seeke me Ioh. 18.8 let these goe their way Yea and after Christ had suffered they would not have persecuted his followers if they could have been silent for at first the councell only admonished them Not to speak at all Act. 4.18 nor Preach in the name of Jesus But these murtherers most cruelly persecuted all his Majesties friends and followers putting many of them to death for their loyalty even in his life time which much grieved his righteous soul and they cut off others after his death for his precious bloud was not sufficient to quench their thirst as they thirsted after Royall bloud so also after Loyall bloud and herein they imitate the savage Tartars who when their great Chain dyes they cast many of his dearest friends into the grave after him When our Saviour was upon the Crosse he commended his Mother to the beloved Disciple and that was not envyed nor the disciple questioned for it but when our Soveraign on the Scaffold commended those who were neerest unto him Ioh. 19.26 and delivered such small Tokens as were left him unto one who was by to be given unto them as the pledges of his love Ioh. 19.38.39 that was envyed the party questioned and the Tokens taken from him Our Saviour was not denyed a buriall for two honorable counsellers took a care of his Funerall and the Jewes as malicious as they were did not oppose it onely they desired a watch to be set upon his Sepulcher But our Soveraign was denyed this honour though three honorable counsellers begged his body to have buryed it in the Sepulcher of his Fathers they could not obtain it but the murtherers carryed away his Corps to Windsor thinking there to hide it in a private corner where no man should know and those honorable counsellers following after with much adoe obtained to have the disposing of it in a more seemly place but without all Funerall solemnity which yet in a most sumptuous manner is bestowed upon a base rigicide Dorislaus that all the world may see they preferre a Barabas before the Lords annointed The Jewes could not indure to heare Christ magnified after they had crucified him and therefore they raged against the Gospell which containes the History of his life As much have these Jewes raged against his Majesties Book the issue of his divine soul and laboured by all meanes to suppresse it but they can no more obscure his glory that shineth in that book then they can obscure the sunne in the firmament Finally they are more malicious than the Jewes because they committed this parecide more directly against their knowledgd and conscience for the Jewes did not cleerly know that Jesus was the Christ they expecting a Messias to come with great pompe and worldly glory were offended at the basenesse of his birth and many of them seduced to beleeve that he was an impostor Therefore sayed our Saviour Luk. 23.34 Act. 3.17 Father forgive them for they know not what the do And Saint Peter Through ignorance ye did it And our Apostle If they had known it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory But the murtherers of our Soveraign knew very well that he was their King their undoubted Soveraign and a most pious Prince and yet even for that cause and no other but because