subject to the will of others 69 No man can think it other then the badge and method of slavery by savage rudenesse and importunate obtrusions of violence to have the mist of his error and passion dispelled which is a shadow of reason and must serve those that are destitute of the substance 70 That man cannot be blamable to God or man who seriously endeavours to see the best reason of things and faithfully followes what he takes for reason 71 The uprightness of intentions will excuse the possible fallings of understanding 72 If a Pilot at sea cannot see the Pole-Star it can be no fault in him to steere his Course by such Starres as do best appeare to him 73 It argues those men to be concious of their defects of reason and convincing arguments who call in the assistance of meer force to carry on the weakness of their counsels and proposals 74 Nothing should please a King more then when his judgment so concurres with that of his prudent subjects as he may with a good conscience consent unto them 75 Where no absolute and moral necessity of reason but temporary convenience in point of honour is to be considered a King may chuse rather to deny himself then his Councel as preferring that which they think necessary for his People before what he sees but convenient for himselfe 76 A King should permit no man to gain his consent to that wherein his heart gives his tongue or hand the lie 77 A King should rather chuse to wear a crown of thorns with his saviour then to exchange that of Gold for one of lead whose embased flexibleness shall be forced to bend and complie to the various and oft contrary dictates of any factions 78. No resolution more worthy a Christian King then to preferre his Conscience before his Kingdomes 79. The meits of a deserving Lady wil be her better protection from the barbaritie of Savage Indians then from the subtiltie of some malicious Christians 80. All justice so well as affection commands a King to study the securitie of his vertuous Queen who is onely in danger for his sake 81. A King can perish but halfe if his Queen be preserved 82. A King in his Queenes memory and their hopefull posterity may survive the malice of his enemies should be satiated with his bloud 83 As God is able to punish the faults of Princes so no less severely to revenge the injuries done to them by those who ought to have made good that safety which the Lawes chiefly provide for them 84 Common civility is in vain expected from those that dispute their loyalty 85 It cannot be safe to a King to tarry among them who are shaking hands with their allegeance under pretence of laying faster hold on their religion 86 'T is pity the noble and peaceful foul of a Queen should see much more suffer the rudenesse of those who must make up their want of justice with inhumanity and impudence 87 The sympathy of a Queen in the afflictions of her King will make her vertues shine with greater lustre as Starres in the darkest nights and assure the envious World that she loves him not his fortunes 88 Kings need not much to blame the unkindness of the generality and vulgar when those who have eaten of their bread been enriched with their bounty have scornfully lift up themselvs against them and those of their own houshold are become their enemies 89 Some think to satisfie all obligations to duty by their Corban of Religion and can less endure to see then to sin against their benefactors as wel as their Soveraigns 90 No malice can banish a beloved Queen from her Kings heart 91 A Kings enemies may envy but they can never deprive him of the enjoiment of her vertues while he enjoyes himself 92 It is among the wicked maximes of bold and disloyal undertakers that bad actions must alwayes be seconded by worse rather not be begun then not carried on for they think the retreat more dangerous then the assault and hate repentance more then perseverance in the fault 93 It is the best policie with patience to bear what one cannot remedy 94 To be transported with no disdaine or emotion of passion in greatest injuries is the temper that best becomes a Christian as coming nearest to the great example of Christ 95 Better for a Monarch to remember he is a Christian then a King 96 What the height of a King tempteth to revenge the humility of a Christian teacheth to forgive 97 What the Majesty of a King might justly abhor the charity of a Christian is willing to forbear 98 The excess of impotent passions injures a man more then his greatest enemies can 99 Apostacy unto Loyalty some men account the most unpardonable sin 100 The superstitious sowrness which some men pretend to in matters of Religion so darkens their judgment that they cannot see any thing of sinne and rebellion in the meanes they use with intents to reform The Second Century 1 SOme men think all is gold of piety which doth but glister with a shew of zeale and fervencie 2 Down-right temptations of ambition have no cloak or cheat of religion to impose upon themselves or other 3 Clemency is a debt which Kings ought to pay to those that crave it when they have cause to believe they wil not after abuse it 4 God suffers us not to pay any thing for his mercy but only prayrs and promises 5 The rude demeanor of a subject toward his Soveraign carries alwaies its own vengeance as an unseparable shadow with it 6 Those oft prove the most fatal and implacable executioners of vengeance who were the first imployers in Rebellion 7 No punishment so stains a mans honor as wilful perpetrations of unworthy actions 8 Posterity not engaged in the sactions of present times have the most impartial reflections on the actions 9 A rebellious Army is but tumults listed and enrolled to a better order but as bad an end 10 A Kings recess from tumultuous subjects gives them considence that he may be conquered 11 A King having a soul invincible is sure through Gods grace to become conqueror when constant to fear him more than man 12. They will oppose by force who have not reason to convince 13. They confess their own weakness as to truth and justice who chuse rather to contend by Armies then by Arguments 14 A King may be made glorious if no other way by his sufferings 15 It is a hard and disputable choice for a King that loves his people and desires their love either to kill his own Subjects or to be killed by them 16 The hazards and miseries of civil War are but sad fruits for a King to reap after a long just peaceable plenteous and religious reign 17 The hazards of War are equal nor doth the cannon know any respect of persons 18 A Kings person is in vaine excepted by a parenthesis of words when many hands are
may soon prove violent Oppositions if once they gain to be necessary Impositions upon the Regal Authority 65. No man seeks to limit and confine his King in reason who hath not a secret aim to share with him or usurpe upon him in Power and Dominion 66. Nature Law Reason and Religion bind a King in the first place to preserve himself without which 't is impossible to preserve his people according to his place 67. Factions in the State and Schismes in the Church get confidence by vulgar Clamours and assistance to demand not only Tolerations of themselves but also abolition of the lawes against them and a total extirpation of that Government whose Rights they made 68. Some moderate Propositions are by cunning Demanders used like waste paper wherein their unreasonable ones are wrapped up to present them somewhat more handsomely 69. There is nothing so monstrous which some fancies are not prone to long for 70. They abuse themselves who believe all good which is guilded with shews of Zeal and Reformation 71. Popular Clamours and Tumults serve to give life and strength to the infinite activity of those men who study with all diligence and policy to improve present distractions to their innovating designs 72. Armies of propositions having little of Judgment Reason Justice and Religion taking their rise from Tumult and Faction must be backt and seconded with Armies of Souldiers 73. A King is to weigh the reason and justice not regard the number and power of contesting Subjects 74. Tumults can be no other then the hounds that attend the cry and hollow of those men who hunt after factions and private designs to the ruine of the Church and State 75. If the straitness of a Kings Conscience will not give him leave to swallow down such camels as others do of Sacriledg and Jnjustice both to God and man they have no more cause to quarrel with him then for this that his throat is not so wide as theirs 76. Nothing of passion or peevishness or list to contradict or vanity to shew a negative power should have any byas upon the judgment of a King to make him gratifie his will by denying any thing which his Reason and Conscience commands him not 77. A King should not consent to more than Reason Justice Honour and Religion perswade him to be for Gods glory the Church's good his Peoples welfare and his own peace 78. Although many mens Loyalty and Prudence be terrified from giving their King that true and faithfull Councell which they are able and willing to impart and he may want yet none can hinder him from craving the Councel of that mighty Councellor who can both suggest what is best and incline his heart stedfastly to follow it 79. It is no news for some Subjects to fight not only without their Kings Commission but against his Command and Person too yet all the while to pretend they fight by his Authority and for his safety 80. Rebels do alwayes this honour to their King to think moderate Injuries not proportionate to him nor competent Tryals either of his Patience under them or his Pardon of them 81. Some with exquisite malice mix the gall and vinegar of falsity and contempt with the Cup of their Kings affliction charging him not only with untruths but such as wherein he hath the greatest share of loss and dishonour by what is committed 82. That King is a Cyclopick monster whom nothing will serve to eat and drink but the flesh and bloud of his own Subjects 83. Some think they cannot do well but in evil times nor so cunningly as in laying the Odium of those sad events on others wherewith themselves are most pleased and whereof they have been not the least occasion 84. Preposterous rigour and unreasonable severity may be not the least incentive that kindles and blowes up into horrid slames the sparks of discontent which want not predisposed fewel for Rebellion where dispair being added to former discontents and the fear of utter extirpation to wonted oppressions it is easie to provoke to an open Rebellion a people prone to break out to all exorbitant violence by some principles of their Religion and the natural desires of liberty 85. Some men of covetous zeal and uncharitable fury think it a great argument of the truth of their Religion to endure no other but their own 86. It is preposterous and unevangelical zeal to chuse rather to use all extremities which may drive men to desperate obstinacy than to apply moderate remedies 87. Some kind of zeal counts all mercifull moderation lukewarmness and had rather be cruel than counted cold and is not seldome more greedy to kill the Bear for his skin than for any harm he hath done 88. The confiscation of mens Estates pleaseth some better as being more beneficial than the charity of saving their lives or reforming their errours 89. Some men have better skill to let bloud than to stanch it 90. Men prepared to misconstrue the actions of their Soveraign have more credulity to what is false and evill than love or charity to what is true and good 91. A King hath no judge but God above him 92. God doth not therefore deny a Kings innocence because he is pleased so farre to try his patience as he did his servant Jobs 93. Swarms of reproaches issue out of some mens mouths and hearts as easily as smoke or sparks do out of a furnace 94. Men conscious of their own depth of wickedness are loath to believe any man not to be as bad as themselves 95. It is kingly to do well and hear ill 96. A King ought to look upon the effusion of his Subjects bloud as exhausted out of his own veins 97. Royal bounty emboldens some men to ask and act beyond all bounds of modesty and gratitude 98. A King should not let any mans ingratitude or inconstancy make him repent of what he granted for the Publick good 99. Where violence is used for innovation in Religion many feel the misery of the means before they reap the benefit of the end 100. It can not but seem either passion or some self-seeking more than true zeal and pious discresion for any forraign State or Church to prescribe such medicine only to others which themselves have used rather successfully than commendably The Third Century 1 THe same Physick in different Constitutions will have different opperations That may kill one which doth but cure another 2. It is not so proper to hew out religious Reformations by the Sword as to polish them by fair and equal disputations among those that are most concern'd in the differences whom not force but reason ought to convince 3. Mens Consciences can receive little satisfaction in those points which are maintained rather by Souldiers fighting in the field than Scholars disputing in free and learned Synods 4. In matters of Religion those truths gain most on mens judgments and consciences which are least urged with secular violence 5.
Secular violence weakens truth which prejudices and is unreasonable to be used till such means of rational conviction hath been applied as leaving no excuse for ignorance condemns mens obstinacy to deserved penalties 6. There is too much of Man to have much of Christ when his pretended institutions are caried on or begun with the temptations of Covetousness or Ambition 7. Wise and Learned men think that nothing hath more marks of Schisme and Sectarisme than the Presbyterian way 8. A King is not to repeal the Laws constitutions of the Church till he sees more rational and Religious motives than Soldiers use to carry in their knapsacks 9. A King ought to esteem the Church above the State the glory of Christ above his own and the salvation of mens Souls above the preservation of their Bodies and Estates 10. No men may without sin and presumption forcibly endeavour to cast the Churches under their Kings care and tuition into the moulds they have fancied and fashioned to their designs till they have first gained his consent and resolved both his and other mens consciences by the strength of their reasons 11. Violent motions which are neither Manly Christian nor Loyall should neither â—â—ake nor settle the Religion of King or Subject who knowes what Religion means 12. The proper engine of Faction is Force 13. Force is the Arbitratour of Beasts not of reasonable Men much less of humble Christians and Loyal Subjects in matter of Religion 14. Men are prone to have such high conceits of themselves that they care not what cost they lay out upon their opinions especially those that have some temptation of gain to recompence their losses and hazards 15. Men jealous of the justifiableness of their doings and designs before God never think they have humane strength enough to carry their work on seem it never so plausible to the people 16. What can not be justified in Law or Religion had need be fortified with power 17. Such is the inconstancy that attends all minds engaged in violent motion that whom some of them one while earnestly invite to come into their assistance others of them soon after are weary of and with nauseating cast them out 18. Much of Gods Justice and mans folly will at length be discovered through all the filmes and pretensions of Religion in which Politicians wrap up their designs 19. In vain do men hope to build their Piety on the ruins of Loyalty 20. Neither those considerations nor disigns can be durable when Subjects make bankrupt of their Allegeance under pretence of setting up a quicker trade for Religion 21. All Reason and Policy will teach That the chief interest of Subjects consist's in their fidelity to the Crown not in their serviceableness to any Party of the People to the neglect and betraying of their Kings safety and honour for their own advantages 22. The less cause a King hath to trust men the more should he apply himself to God 23. It is hard for men to be engaged by no less than swearing for or against those things which are of no clear morall necessity but very disputable 24. In points disputable the application of oaths can hardly be made and enjoined with that judgment and certainty in one's self or that charity and candour to others of different opinion as Religion requires 25. Religion never refuses fair and aequable deliberations yea and dissentions too in matters only probable 26. The enjoining of Oaths upon People must needs in things doubtfull be dangerous as in things unlawfull damnable and no less superfluous where former religious and legal Engagements bound men sufficiently to all necessary duties 27. Ambitious minds never think they have laid snares and ginnes enough to catch and hold the vulgar credulity 28. By politick and seemingly pious stratagems of oaths ambitious minds think to keep the populacy fast to their party under the terrour of perjury 29. After-contracts devised and imposed by a few men in a declared Party without the Kings consent without power or precedent from God's or man's Lawes can never be thought by judicious men sufficient either to absolve or slacken the moral and eternal bonds of duty which lye upon all Subjects Consciences both to God and their King 30. Ambiguous dangerous and authorized novelties are not to be preferred before known and sworn duties which are dispensable both to God and King 31. Later Vowes Oaths or Leagues can never blot out the former gravings and characters which by just and lawfull Oaths have been made upon the souls of men 32. Considerations by way of Solemn Leagues and Covenants are the common roads used in all factious and powerfull perturbations of State or Church 33. Formalities of extraordinary zeal and piety are never more studied ond elaborate than when Politicians most agitate desperate designs against all that is setled or sacred in Religion and Lawes 34. Religion and Lawes with the scrues of cunning Politicians are wrested by secret steps and less sensible degrees from their known rule and wonted practise to comply with the humors of those men who aim to subdue all to their own will and power under the disguises of holy combinations 35. The cords and wit hs of Solemn Leagues and Covenants framed more out of Policy than Piety will hold mens consciences no longer than force attends and twists them 36. Every man soon growes his own Pope and easily absolves himself of those ties which not the Commands of God's Word or the Lawes of the Land but only the subtilty and terrour of a Party casts upon him 37. Illegall wayes of Covenanting seldom or never intend the engaging men more to Duties but to Parties 38. It is not regarded how men keep Covenants in point of Piety pretended provided they adhaere firmly to the Party and design intended 39. Imposers of politick Covenants make them like Manna agreable to every mans palate and rellish who will but swallow them 40. Naboth's Vineyard made him the only Blasphemer of his City and fit to dye 41. While the breath of Religion fills the Sails Profit is the Compass by which factious men steer their course in all seditious commotions 42. Church-Lands and Revenues issuing chiefly from the Crown are held of it and legally can revert only to the Crown with the Kings consent 43. No necessity should drive a King to invade or sell the Priests Lands which both Pharaohs Divinity and Josephs true Piety abhorr'd to do 44. It is unjust both in the eye of Reason and Religion to deprive the most sacred employment of all due incouragements and like hard-harted Pharaâ—h to withdraw the straw and increase the task 45. Some pursue the oppressed Church to the red Sea of a Civil War where nothing but a miracle can save it 46. A Christian King ought to esteem it his greatest title to be call'd and his chiefest glory to be The Defender of the Church both in its true Faith and its just fruitions equally abhorring Sacriledge
to cover their irreligious deformities whereto they are conscious by a severity of censuring other mens opinions or actions 8. A King ought to take heed of abetting any factions or applying to any publick discriminations in matters of Religion contrary to what is in his judgment and the Church well setled 9. A King 's partial adhering as head to any one side gains him not so great advantages in some mens hearts who are prone to be of their Kings Religion as it loseth them in others who think themselves and their profession first despised than persecuted by him 10. A King should take such a course as may either with calmness and charity quite remove seeming differeces in Religion and offenses by impartiality or to order affairs in point of Power that he shall not need to fear or flatter any Faction 11. If a King stand in need of any Faction he may have flatterrd that affects him not or must stand to their courtesie he is undone The Serpent will devour the Dove 12. A King may never expect less of loyalty justice or humanity than from those who engage into Religious Rebellion 13. Religious Rebels make their interest alwayes Gods 14. Ambitious Policies march under the colours of Piety not only with greatest security but applause as to the populacy 15. A King may hear Jacobs voice from such religious Reformers but he will feel they have Esau's hands 16. As ill humors fall to the disaffected part which causeth inflammations so all affectors of novelties adhere to that side which hath the most remarkable and specious note of difference in point of Religion 17. Nothing ought to seem little or despicable to a King in matters which concern Religion and the Church's peace so as to neglect a speedy reformation and effectual suppression 18. Errors and Schismes which seem at first but as a hand-breadth by seditious spirits as by strong winds are soon made to cover and darken the whole heaven 19. A King should never charge his head with such a Crown as shall by its heaviness oppress the whole body the weakness of whose parts cannot return any thing of strength honour or safety to the head but a necessary debilitation and ruine 20. A Kings Prerogative is best shewed and exercised in remitting rather than exacting the rigour of the Lawes there being nothing worse than legal Tyranny 21. Tumults Armies and Prisons are not the best arguments to convince the testimony of a King's conscience 22. It is not safe for a King to gratifie any Faction with the perturbation of the Lawes in which is wrap't up the publick Interest and the good of the Community 23. A King should never repose so much upon any mans single counsel fidelity and discretion in managing affairs of the first magnitude that is matters of Religion and Justice as to create in himself or others a difference of his own judgment which is likely to be alwayes more constant and impartial to the interests of his Crown and Kingdom than any mans 24. A King should beware of exasperating any Factions by the crossness and â—â—â—â—erity of some mens passions humors or private opinions imployed by him grounded only upon the differences in lesser matters which are but the skirts and suburbs of Religion 25. A Charitable connivence and Christian toleration often dissipates the strength of Factions which rougher opposition fortifies and puts the despised and opressed party into such combinations as may most enable them to get a full revenge on those they count their Persecutors who are commonly assisted by that vulgar commiseration which attends all that are said to suffer under the notion of Religion 26. A King is not to connive at or tolerate any faction that amounts to an insolent opposition of Lawes and Government or Religion established as to the essentials of them such â—â—â—tions and minings are intolerabâ—e 27. A King must alwayes keep up solid Piety and those fundamental Truths which mend both hearts and lives of men with impartial favour and justice 28. A King must take heed that outward circumstances and formalities of Religion devour not all or the best encouragements of Learning industry and piety 29. A King ought with an equal eye and impartial hand to distribute favours and rewards to all men as he finds them for their real goodness both in abilities and fidelities worthy and capable of them 30. A King by rewarding men of best deserts shall be sure to gain himself the hearts of the best and the most too who though they be not good themselves yet are glad to see the severer wayes of vertue at any time sweetned by temporal rewards 31. Combinâ—â—â—â—actions have no sooner by force subdued what they counted their common enemy and are secured from that fear but they are divided to so high a rivalry as sets them more at defiance against each other than against their first Antagonists 32. Time will dissipate all Factions when once the rough horns of private mens covetous and ambitious designs shall discover themselves which were at first wrapt up and hidden under the soft and smooth pretensions of Religion Reformation and Liberty 33. As the Wolfe is not less cruel so he will be more justly hated when he shall appear no better than a Wolfe under Sheeps clothing 34. To undeceive the seduced Vulgar who in simplicity follow disguises as a King needs no palliations if he study really to exceed in true and constâ—â—â— demonstrations of goodness piety and virtue towards the People even all those men that make the greatest noise and ostentations of Religion so shall he neither fear any detection as they do who have but the face and mask of goodness nor shall he frustrate the just expectations of his people who cannot in reason promise themselves so much good from any Subjects novelties as from the virtuous constancy of their King 35. None are greater Oppressours of Vulgar Estates Liberties and Consciences than those men that entitle themselves the Patrons and Vindicators of them only to usurpe power over them 36. No Passion should betray a Prince to any study of revenge upon those whose own sin and folly will sufficiently punish them in due time 37. So soon as the forked arrow of factious emulations is drawn out use all princely arts and clemency to heal the wounds that the smart of the cure may not equal the anguish of the hurt 38. Acts of Indempnity and Oblivion when desired and accepted are to be granted not only as Acts of State-policy and necessity but of Christian charity and choise 39. They that deprive a King of all cannot of a power to forgive them and to have a heart to do it is a greater argument of Gods love to him than any prosperity can be 40. None will be more loyal and faithfull to an injur'd King than those Subjects who sensible of their errours and his sufferings will feell in their own souls most vehement motives to repentance and earnest desires to make
as an Act of Justice done by Subjects upon their Soveraign who know that no Law of God or Man invests them with any power of Judicature without him much less against him and who being sworn and bound by all that is sacred before God and man to endeavour his preservation must pretend justice to cover their perjury 78. It is a sad fate for any man to have his enemies to be Accusers Parties and Judges but most desperate when this is acted by the insolence of Subjects against their Soveraign wherein those who have had the chiefest hand and are most guilty of contriving the publick Troubles must by shedding his bloud seem to wash their own hands of that innocent bloud whereof they are most evidently guilty before God and Man if not in their own Consciences too while they carry on unreasonable demands first by Tumults after by Armies 79. Nothing makes mean spirits more cowardly cruel in managing their usurped power against their lawfull Superiours than the guilt of their unjust usurpation 80. Specious and popular pretensions of Justice against Delinquents are applyed only to disguize at first the monstrousness of their designs who despair of possessing the power and profits of the Vineyard till the heir whose right it is be cast out and slain 81. It may be accounted by Rebels a Kings greatest fault that he will not either destroy himself with the Church and State by his word or not suffer them to do in unresisted by the sword whose covetous Ambition no Concessions of his can either satisfie or abate 82. Some men think that Kingdom of brambles which they seek to erect not likely to thrive till watered with the Royal bloud of those whose right the Kingdom is 83. A King's Innocency will find him both his Protector and his Advocate who is his only Judg. 84. The greatest Patrons of Law Justice Order and Religion on earth are exposed to as many dangers as there be either Men or Devils which love confusion 85. God will not suffer men long to prosper in their Babel who build it with the bones and cement it with the bloud of their Kings 86. A King destin'd to death by Rebels may be confident they will find avengers of it among themselves and that the injuries he hath sustained from them shall be first punished by them who agreed in nothing so much as in opposing him 87. The impatience of Rebels to bear the loud cry of their Kings bloud will make them think no way better to expiate it than by shedding theirs who with them most thirsted after his 88. God will not suffer them to go unpunished whose confoederacy in sin was their only security 89. A King 's greatest conquest of Death is from the power of the love of Christ who hath swallowed up Death in the Victory of his Resurrection and the Glory of his Ascension 90. Royal Charity is the noblest revenge upon and victory over a King's Destroyers 91. The will of Rebels and Regicides seems to be their only rule their power the measure and their success the Exactor of what they please to call Justice while they flatter themselves with the fancy of their own safety by the Kings danger and the security of their lives-designs by his death forgetting that the greatest temptations to sin are wrapped up in seeming prosperities so the severest vengeances of God are then most accomplished when men are suffered to complete their wicked purposes 92. When the will of God hath confined and concluded that of a devoted King he shall have the pleasure of dying without any pleasure of desired vengeance 93. The glory attending the death of a King sacrificed to the will of his revolted Subjects surpasseth all he could enjoy or conceive in life 94. The sharp and necessary Tyrany of King-destroyers sufficiently confute the calumnies of Tyranny against him 95. Subjects ought to know how to excuse their Soveraign's failings as a man and yet to retain and pay their duty to him as their King there being no religious necessity binding any Subjects by pretending to punish infinitely to exceed the faults and errours of their Princes 96. Rebels may often see the proportions of their evil dealings against their King in the measure of Gods retaliations upon them who cannot hope long to enjoy their own thumbs and toâ—s having under pretense of paring his nails been so cruel as to cut off his chiefest strength 97. The punishment of the more insolent and obstinate Rebels may be like Korah and his Complices at once mutining against both Prince and Priest in such a method of divine Justice as is not ordinary the earth of the lowest and meanest people opening upon them and swallowing them up in a just disdain of their ill-gotten and worse-used Authority upon whose support and strength they chiefly depended for their building and establishing their designs against their King the Church and State 98. It is a fallacy in them who from worldly success rather like Sophisters than sound Christians draw those popular conclusions for Gods approbation of their actions whose wise prudence oft permits many events which his revealed Word the only clear safe and fixed rule of good actions and good conveniences in no sort approves 99. A good King may be confident that the justice of his Cause and clearness of his Conscience before God and toward his people will carry him as much above Rebels in Gods decision as their successes may have lifted them above him in the Vulgar opinion 100. Many times those undertakings of men are lifted up to Heaven in the prosperity and applause of the World whose rise is from Hell as to the injuriousness and oppression of the design The Seventh Century 1. THe prosperous winds which oft fill the Sails of Pirates doth not justifie their piracy and rapine 2. The prayers and patience of a King's friends and loving Subjects coutribute much to the sweetning of that bitter cup given him by them whose hands are unjustly and barbarously lifted up against him 3. As to the last event a murther'd King may seem to owe more to his Enemies than his Friends while those put a period to the sins and sorrows attending this miserable life wherewith these desire he might still contend 4. If a good King suffer's a violent death with his Saviour it is but Mortality crowned with Martyrdom where the debt of death which he owes for sin to Nature shall be raised as a gift of faith and patience offered to God 5. The Trophees of a King's charity will be more glorious and durable over Rebels than their ill-managed victories over him 6. They whose sin is prosperous had need be penitent that they may be pardoned 7. We are to look upon the temporal destruction of the greatest King as farre less deprecable than the eternal damnation of the meanest Subject 8. It is very strange that Mariners can find no other means to appease the storm themselves have raised but by drowning their
exceeding even the desires of those that have been factiously discontented if they do but pretend to any modest and sober sense 64. The Odium and oâ—fences which some mens rigour or remissness in Church and State may have contracted upon a Kings Government he should resolve to expiate by such Lawes and Regulations for the future as may not only rectifie what was amiss in practise but supply what was defective iâ— the constitution 65. No man should have a greater zeal to see Religion setled and preserved in Truth Unity and Order than the King whom it most concerns both in piety and policy 66. A King's confidence in others may betray himself and his Kingdomes to those advantages which some men seek for who want nothing but power and occasion to do mischief 67. When our sins arâ— ripe there is no preventing of God's Justice from reaping that glory in our Calamities which we robb'd him of in our Prosperity 68. Great abilities in a Minister of State may be prone to create in him great confidence of undertakings and this is like enough to betray him to great errours and many enemies 69. Though a King cannot in his Judgment approve all a Minister of State hath done driven it may be by the necessity of Times and the Temper of that People he is set over more than lead by his own disposition to any height and rigour of actions yet he may not be convinced of any such criminousness in him as willing to expose his life to the strokes of Justice and malice of his enemies 70. When a King bears the touch of Conscience with great régret for any act of so sinfull frailty as discovers more a fear of Man than of God as a sign of his repentance he should often with sorrow confess the same both to God and Men. 71. No man is worthy to bear the name and place of God on earth who will not avoid inconveniences of State by acts of so high injustice as no publick convenience can expiate or compensate 72. In all likelihood a King can never suffer with his People greater calamities yet with greater comfort by vindicating the Innocency of his Minister at least by denying to sign any destructive Bill according to that Justice which his Conscience suggesteth to him than he wil do after he shall have gratified some mens unthankfull importunities with so cruel a favour 73. It may be observed by a King that those who counsel him to sign a destructive Bill to an innocent Minister of State are so far from receiving the rewards of such ingratiatings with the People that no meâ— are harrassed and crushed more than they when he is least vexed by them who counsels the King not to consent against the vote of his own Conscience 74. A King fully conscious to his Soul of permitting an Innocent Minister of State to be destroyed may so much the more welcome those Judgments God hath pleased to send upon him as he may hope them to be a means which his mercy hath sanctified so to him as to repent of that unjust Act and for the future not to do the like 75. Nothing should more fortifie a Kingâ—s resolutions against alâ— violent importunities which seek to gain consent from him to Acts wherein his Conscience is unsatisfied than the sharp touches he may have had for some such he before hath yeilded to 76. When a King's enemies of his own People load his Act of Justice because extraordinary in the method with obloquies and exasperations in touchy times it will fill indifferent men with great jealousies and fears yea and many of his friends will resent it as a motion rising rather from Passion than Reason and not guided with such discretion as the Times require 77. Though a King be furnish'd with just motives and pregnant grounds to proceed against any Subjects so that there needs nothing to the evidence he can produce against those he chargeth save a free and legal Tryal let that be all he desireth 78. A King should not yield to any temptation of displeasure or revenge against the persons of his Subjects further than he has discovered the unlawfull correspondencies they have used and engagements they have made to embroyl his Kingdoms 79. Probabilities may be sufficient to raise jealousies in any King's heart who is not wholely stupid and neglective of the publick peace 80. A fair and legal tryal of men called in question by their King can amount to no worse effect than either to do him and his Kingdom right in case they be guilty of else to clear their Innocency and remove his suspitions 81. When once People have learned to think hard thoughts againâ—t their King they will afterward abundantly vent them by words and deeds 82. Not any thing except our sins more ominously presageth alâ— the miseries incident to a Kingdom by Civil War then Tumults in the Capital City of it which when at their height are not like a storm at Sea which yet wants not its terrour but like an Earthquake shaking the veâ—y foundations of all than which nothing in the World hath more of horrour 83. In Popular Tumults a short sit or two of shaking as an ague may pass away but when once they become a quotidian fever allwayes increasing to higher inflammations impatient of any mitigation restraint or remission they threaten ruine 84. An unsafe guard may too easily be entertain'd by such as scare themselves and others with unnecessary fears 85. Such great Demagogues and Patrons of Tumults as send for them to flatter and embolden them to direct and tune their clamorous importunities God will in his due time let them see that those are no fit means to be used for attaining his ends 86. They are no wise Statesmen who own people in Tumults to be their friends commending their Courage Zeal and Industry which to sober men can seem no better than that of the Devil who goes about seeking whom he may deceive and devour 87. It is not alwayes an effect of Pusillanimity in a man for popular terrours to deserâ— his publick station 88. When Popular Tumults are become as the breaking in of a Sea for a King to resist at present threatens imminent danger but to withdraw gives it space to spend its fury and gains him a sitter time to repair the breach 89. A King by all means to decline a Civil War may in many particulars deny himself especially haveing no Army to flie unto for protetection or vindication 90. A King should resolve to hear reason in all things and to consent to it so far as he can comprehend it 91. When unquiet people with unpassionate representations reflect upon any not more Princely than friendly contributions which their King may have granted towards the perpetuating of their happiness he need not despair of recovering their Love and Loyalty unto him 92. The Loyal and cleared affections of mis-led People will strive to return such retributions of Honour and Love
the abatement of mens sins not the desolating of Nations he will command the Sword of Civil Wars to sheath it self 76. A King of divers Nations may incurre the the censure or misconstruction of one while he gratifies the active spirits among them of the other so far as that he seems to many to prefer the desires of that party before his own interest and honour 77. Religion and Liberty are common and vulgar flourishes to disguise an other errand of that Army which invades their own Kings territories to make him and his Church to write after them and theirs though it were in bloudy characters 78. Presbytery seeks to suppress and render odious under the names of Sects Schisms or Heresies several Parties which if they can get but numbers strength and opportunity may according to Presbyteries opinion and pattern set up their wayes by the like methods of violence representing a wonderful necessity thereof to avoid the further miseries of War which they may first begin and engage themselves to continue until they obtain their end 79. When God hath first taken us off from the folly of our opinions and fury of our passion he hath many wayes to teach us those rules of true Reason and peaceable Wisdome which is from above tending most to his glory and his Church's good 80. They that have any true touches of Conscience will not endeavour to carry on the best designs much less such as are and will be daily more apparently factious and ambitious by any unlawfull means under the title of a Covenant 81. Ties by Leagues and Covenants are either superfluous and vain when men were sufficiently tied before or fraudulent and injurious if by such after-ligaments they find the Imposers really ayming to dissolve or suspend their former just and necessary obligations 82. Factious men to whom it is enough if they get but the reputation of a seeming encrease to their Party little romember That God is not mocked 83. Against the Church the King or the Publick Peace no mans lawfull Calling can engage him 84. The soâ—â— and servile temper of some Divines dispose them in alterations of Religion and Government to sudden acting and compliance contrary to their former judgments profession and practise 85. No man should be more forward than a King himself to carry on all due Reformation with mature judgment and a good Conscience in what things he shall after impartial advice be by God's Word and right reason convinced to be amiss 86. Crowns and Kingdoms have a period with the life of their King but Reputation and Honour may survive to a glorious kind of Immortality when he is dead and gone 87. A King should never permit the malice of his enemies to deprive him of that comfort which his confidence in the generality of his people gives him 88. What a King may bear from foreign enemies he cannot so well from his own Subjects who next his children are dear unto him 89. Nothing could give a King more cause to suspect and search his own Innocency than when he observes many who made great professions of singular piety forward to engage against him 90. When many Professours of singular Piety engage with persons that take arms against their King it gives to vulgar minds so bad a reflection upon Him and his Cause as if it had been impossible to adhere to Him and not with all part from God to think or speak well of Him and not to blaspheme God 91. Truly Learned and Religious men will endeavour to be so well satisfied in the Cause of their injur'd King's sufferings as that they may chose rather to suffer with Him than forsake Him 92. When Popular Preachers though but in hypocrisie and falshood urge Religious pretensions against their King it is not strange that the same to many well-minded men should be a great temptation to oppose Him 93. When a King useth the assistance of Subjects of a different profession from Him they are most ready to interpret it a sighting against Religion who least of all men care whom they imploy or what they say and do so they may prevail 94. So eager are some men in giving their Soveraign better counsel than what they pretend he hath before heark'ned to that they will not give Him leave to take it with freedom as a Man nor honour as a King 95. No men should be more willing to complain than the King be to redress what he sees in Reason to have been either done or advis'd amiss 96. They who of pretended Sufferers become zealous Actors in persecution deprive themselves of the comfort and reward whatsoever they before expected 97. The noise and ostentation of Liberty is the design and artifice some men use to withdraw the peoples affections from their King 98. A good King should be so far from desiring to oppress as not to envy his Subjects that liberty which is all he ought desire to enjoy himself viz. To will nothing but according to Reason Lawes and Religion 99. Lords and Gentlemen which assist their King in a Civil War would not be so prodigal of their Liberties if they suspected he would infringe them as with their Lives and Fortunes to help on the inslaving of themseves and their Posterities 100. As to civil Importunities none but such as desire to drive on their ambitious and covetous design over the ruines of Church and State Prince Peers and People will ever desire greater Freedom than good Lawes allow The ninth Century 1. SUch men as thirst after Novelties or despair to relieve the necessities of their fortunes or satisfie their Ambition in peaceable times become principal impulsives to popular Commotions 2. Rebels will blast the best Government of the best King with all the odious reproaches which impotent malice can invent and expose Him to all those contempts which may most diminish the Majesty of a King and encrease the ungratefull insolencies of his People 3. A King who is well assured that his Innocency is clear before God in point of any calumnies rebellious Subjects do object may prophesie That his reputation shall like the Sun after Owles and Bats have had their freedom in the night and darker times rise and recover it self to such a degree of spendour as those feral birds shall be grieved to behold and unable to bear 4. A King cannot so much suffer in point of honour by rude and scandalous pamphlets as those men do who having power and pretending to so much piety are so forgetfull of their duty to God and him as not to vindicate the Majesty of their King against any of those who contrary to the precept of God and precedents of Angels speak evil of dignities and bring railing accusations against those who are honoured with the name of Gods 5. They will easily contemn such shadows of God as Kings are who reverence not that Supreme and adorable Majesty in comparison of whom all the glory of Men and Angels is but
continue 31. Ignorance Superstition Aâ—varice Revenge with other disorderly and disloyal Passions have so blown up some mens minds against Episcopal Government in the Church that what they want of Reasons or Primitive Patterns they supply with violence and oppression 32. Some mens zeal for Bishops Lands Houses and Revenues hath set them on work to eat up Episcopacy 33. A King solemnly obliged by an Oath agreable to his judgment to preserve Episcopal Government and the Rights of the Church hath a particular engagement above other men so to do 34. The said King being daily by the best disquisition of Truth more confirmed in the Reason and Religion of that to which he is sworn no man that wisheth not his damnation can perswade Him at once to so notorious and combined sins as those of Sacriledg and Perjury in parting with Episcopacy 35. Men of ambitious Covetousness and secrilegious Cruelty will torture with their King both Church and State in Civil dissentions till if he have not an invincible resolution he shall not be forced to consent and declare that he does approve what God knowes he utterly dislikes and in his Soul abhors 36. Should a King pressed by Imperious Subjects shamefully and dishonouraly give his consent to any bold demand against Reason Justice and Religion yet should he not by so doing satisfie the divided Interests and Opinions of those Parties if any such be among them which contend with each other as well as both against Him 37. The abuses of Episcopacy deserve to be extirpated as much as the use retained 38. A right Episcopacy doth at once satisfie all just desires and interests of good Bishops humble Presbyters and sober People so as Church-affairs should be managed neither with tyranny parity nor popularity neither Bishops ejected nor Presbyters despised nor People oppressed 39. A King that can seldom get opportunities to Treat with Subjects in armes against Him should yet never want either desire or disposition to it having greater considence of his Reason than his Sword 40. A King should very unwillingly be compelled to defend himself with Arms against his Subjects and very willingly embrace any thing tending unto Peace 41. No success should ever enhaunce with a King the price of Peace between him and his Subjects which should be as earnestly desired by Him as any man though He be like to pay dearer than any man for it so He reserve his Honour and his Conscience 42. A King should condescend to the desires of his Subjects as far as Reason Honour and Conscience will give Him leave having special regard to those differences that are essential to the security or prosperity of his People To deny some other demands may be the greatest justice to Himself and favour to his Subjects 43. A King willing to condescend to the setling of Church-affairs so as he may give satisfaction to all men must have a care not to comply with such whom faction covetousness or superstition may have engaged more than any true zeal charity or love of reformation 44. Although a King may be content to yield to all that may seem to advance true piety yet He must seek to continue what is necessary in point of Order Maintenance and Authority to the Church's Government especially if He be perswaded that it is most agreable to the true principles of all Government raised to its full stature and perfection as also to the Primitive Apostolical pattern and the practise of the Universal Church conform thereto 45. The King is very excusable both before God and all unpassionate men for the distance between Him and Subjects in Arms against Him that in Treaties and Transactions endeavoureth no less the restauration of peace to his People than the preservation of his own Crowns to his posterity 46. If such Treaties give occasion to any mans further restiveness it is imputable to their own depraved tempers not to any Concessions or Negations of their King who has alwayes the content of what He offered and they the regret and blame for what they refused 47. A King may presage the unsuccessfulness of any Treaty with his Subjects among whom he finds an unwillingness to treat that implying some things to be gained by the Sword whose unreasonableness they are loth to have fairly scanned being more proper to be acted by Soldiers than by Counselors 48. When God gives a King victory over his Subjects in Armes against him it is to try Him that He may know how with moderation and thanks to own and use his power who is the only true Lord of Hosts able when he pleases to repress the confidence of those who fight against him though with great advantage for power and numbers 49. A King who for small beginnings on his part at length is attended on by an Army wherewith He may encounter his rebellious Subjects has this comfort that He is not wholly forsaken by his Peoples love or Gods Protection 50. When God at any time permits the same King to be worsted by his Enemies it is to exercise his patience and teach Him not to trust in the arme of Flesh but in the living God 51. They who fight against their King are forced to slie to the shifts of some pretended Fears and wild fundamentals of State as they use to call them which actually overthrow the present Fabrick both of Church and State 52. The imaginary Reasons which Rebels alledg for self defence are commonly most impertinent and such as will fit any Faction that hath but power and confidence enough to second with the Sword all their demands against the present Lawes and Governours 53. Lawes and Governours can never be such as some side or other will not find fault with so as to urge what they call a Reformation of them to a Rebellion against them 54. They are Parasitick Preachers that dare call those Martyrs who died fighting against their King the Lawes their Oaths and right Religion established For 55. Sober Christians know than the glorious Title of Martyr can with truth be applied only to those who seriously prefer God's Truth and their duty in all the foresaid particulars before their lives and all that is dear to them in this World 56. The Wounds and temporal Ruines of those loyal Subjects who are slain in Civil Wars serve as a gracious opportunity for their eternal Health and Happiness while the evident approach of death through God's grace effectually disposeth their Hearts to such Humility Faith and Repentance which together with the Rectitude of their engagement fully prepares them for a better life than that which their enemies brutish and disloyal firceness can deprive them of or without repentance hope to enjoy 57. Those Rebels who may have often the better against their King's side in the Field will never have so at the Bar of God's Tribunal or their own Consciences 58. The condition of loyal Subjects in a Civil War though conquered and dying for their King no question is
letters if taken by his Subjects in arms against Him should be discovered to the World though without any those dresses or popular captations which some of them use in their speeches and expressions 82. Unquiet Subjects many times take Armes against a just prudent and innocent King into whose most retired thoughts if they could by any means have a clear sight they might discover how they are divided between the love and care He hath not more to preserve his own Rights than to procure their Peace and Happiness and an extreme grief to see them both deceived and destroyed 83. No man can blame a King that by all fair and just correspondencies endeavours to avoid the pressures of his Enemies though his own Subjects 84. Some mens design like Absoloms is by enormous actions to widen differences between a King and his Subjects and exasperate all sides to such distances as may make all Reconciliation desperate 85. A King under the misfortune of having his letters taken by Subjects in Armes against Him hath much quiet and satisfaction within Himself when the integrity of his intentions is not jealous of any injury his Expressions can do them For 86. Although the confidence of privacy may admit of greater freedom in writing letters which may be liable to envious exceptions yet it is best for a King when the Innocence of his chief purposes cannot be so stained or misinterpreted by his Enemies as not to let all men see That He wisheth nothing more than a happy composure of differences with Justice and Honour not more to his own than his Peoples content who have any sparks of love or loyalty left in them 87. It repaireth somewhat a King's misfortune that his private letters being taken by his Subjects in armes against Him cannot gratifie their malice further than to let them see his constancy to his Wife the Lawes and right Religion he professeth as likewise to convince them that He can both mind and act his own and his Kingdoms affairs so as becomes a Prince especially if his Enemies have before been very loath it should be believed of Him as if He were wholly confined to the Dictates and Directions of others whom they please to brand with the names of Evil Counsellours 88. It is the policy of Rebels to seek by all means to smother and extinguish all sparkes of Love Respect and Loyalty of the People to their King that they may never kindle again so as to recover His the Lawes and the Kingdoms Liberties which they seek to overthrow 89. God's unerring and impartial Justice can and will over-rule the most perverse wills and designs of men He is able and will turn even the worst of an innocent King's Enemies thoughts and actions to his good 90. Civility and Humanity most become such as pretend to Religion which they ought to pay to all men beside that respect and honour they owe to their King 91. They who do but remember how God blest the modest respect and filial tenderness which Noah's sons bare to their Father can never expect the divine approbation of any their undecent actions toward their King 92. Their malicious intentions can never be either excusable or prosperous who think by any unhandsome means to expose their King to the highest reproach and contempt of his People forgetting that duty of modest concealment which they owe to the Father of their Countrey in case they should discover any real uncomeliness 93. They who by publishing their King 's private letters think to render Him as a vile Person not fit to be trusted or considered under any Notion of Majesty will see themselves mistaken when God makes him as he did David more respected in the hearts of many who become better satisfied by knowing what He writ than by learning what they maliciously interpret and report 94. Although God gives Kingdoms yet sometimes his Providence permits that the King hath not any place left in them where he may with safety and honour rest his head Shewing him that Himself is the safest Refuge and the strongest Tower of defence in which he may put his Trust 95. A King in extremities should look not to man so much as to God who will have it so that he may wholly cast himself and his distressed affairs upon God's mercy who hath both hearts and hands of all men in his dispose 96. Necessity may sometimes command a King to withdraw from his chiefest strength and adventure upon their Loyalty who first began his Troubles whom God happily may make a means honourably to compose them 97. When Necessity constrains a King to cast Himself upon them who though they besiege Him in his Garrison and encounter Him in the field yet profess They fight not against Him but for Him He puts Himself to resolve the riddle of their Loyalty and gives them opportunity to let the World see they mean not what they do but what they say 98. God sees it sometimes not enough to desert a King of all Military power to defend himself but to put him upon using their power who seem to fight against him yet ought in duty to defend him 99. When a King finds it necessary to leave those that have adhered to Him He may hope such a method of Peace may be more prosperous than that of War both to stop the effusion of blood and the wounds that were made before 100. A King should never trust any nation of his Subjects further than to men that if they betray Him He may justifie to all the World they have not deceiv'd Him and if they sell Him at any dear rate He should be only sorry that his price should be so much above his Saviours The Tenth Century 1. GOD sometimes sees t is fit to deprive a King of Wife Children Army Friends and Freedom that He may be wholy his who alone is all 2. A King should never permit them who have got his person to gain his consent against his conscience 3. A King's denial of unjust demands made by Subjects in armes against Him which they call obstinacy He may know God acounts honest constancy which Reason and Religion as well a Honour forbid Him to recede 4. It is evident sometimes that Subjects who pretend to fight against evil Counsellours with their King fight indeed against a good Conscience within Him And whatsoever they may say of course intend not to bring Him to his Parliament till they have brought his mind to their obedience 5. After-times may see what the blindness of that Age will not wherein is both practis'd and countenanced Subjects fighting against their Soveraign whom if they have a good King God may at length shew that he chuseth rather to suffer for them than with them 6. When Providence is pleased to deprive a King of all other civil comforts and secular attendants the absence of them all may best be supplied by the attendance of such his Chaplains whom for their functions He reverenceth
may avoid his own 31. By the Sun-shine of God's mercy and the splendour of a Princes virtues whole mountains of congealed factions may be thawed and dissipated 32. Acts of Indempnity and Oblivion should by an indulgent King be offered to so great a latitude as may include all that can but suspect themselves to be any way obnoxious to the Lawes and which may serve to exclude all future jealousies and insecurities 33. If God see fit to restore an injur'd King to the enjoyment of his Kingdoms He ought then to let the Prince his son fully understand the things that belong to God's glory his own honour and the Kingdoms peace 34. A charitable King though injur'd by his Subjects for the future peace of his Kingdoms should encourage the Prince his Successour to be as confident as Himself That the most part of all sides who have done amiss have done so not out of malice but misinformation or misapprehension of things 35. Whatsoever good the Royal Father intended to Church or State in times uncapable of it should be performed by the Prince his Son when possessed of his Kingdom and Power 36. It is a prayer and benediction worthy of an afflicted King That God would after his decease so bless the Prince his Son and Successour as to establish his Kingdoms in Righteousness his Soul in true Religion and his Honour in the love of God and his People 37. Though God permit Disloyalty to be perfected by the destruction of a King yet He may make his memory and name live ever in his Son as of his Father that lov'd Him and a King under whom his Kingdoms flourished for a time 38. A King in affliction should believe God's power and have hope of his will to restore Him to his Rights despairing neither of his mercy nor of his peoples love and pity 39. Although a King 's domestick Enemies use all the the poyson of falsity and violence of hostility to destroy first the love and Loyalty which is in his Subjects and then all that content of life in him which from these He chiefly enjoyed yet they may fail of their end and after the many deaths the King suffers for the good will of his People He may not be wholly dead till their further malice and cruelty take that little of life too the husk and shell as it were which they had only left Him 40. Although that a King must die as a man is certain That He may die a King by the hands of his own Subjects a violent sodain barbarous death in the strength of his years in the midst of his Kingdoms his friends and loving Subjects being helpless Spectatours his Enemies insolent Revilers and Triumphers over Him living dying and dead may sometimes be probable in humane reason nought else being to be hoped for as to mans cruelty yet He is not to despair of God's infinite mercy 41. It is not easie for a depressed King to contend with those many horrours of Death wherewith God may suffer Him to be tempted which may be equally horrid either in the suddenness of a barbarous Assasination or in the solemn cruelty of an unjust sentence and publick execution 42. A King under such a sad apprehension must humbly desire to depend upon God and to submit to his will both in life and death in what order soever he is pleased to lay them out to him 43. All Soveraigns are obliged to own God as King of Kings not only for the eminency of his power and Majesty above them but also for that singular care and protection which he hath over them in the many dangers they are expos'd unto 44. God many times so pleads the cause of that King which he permits to be in the power of disloyal and bloudy-minded Subjects that he shewes him the sad confusions following his destruction presaged and confirmed to Him by those he lives to see in his troubles and God gives his Enemies cause to fear that he will both further divide and by mutual vengeance afterward destroy them 45. It may be the King's comfort who is wronged and dethroned by his Subjects that God gives him not only the honour to imitate Christ's example in suffering for Righteousness sake though obscured by the foulest charges of Tyranny and Injustice but the charity both to forgive them and pray for them that God would not impute his bloud to them further than to convince them what need they have of Christ's bloud to wash their souls from the guilt of shedding his 46. The unfortunate King that sees himself destin'd to be murther'd by his cruel Subjects may bless God if he has the heart to pray not so much that the bitter cup of a violent death may pass from Him as that of his wrath may pass from all those whose hands by deserting him are sprinkled or by acting and consenting to his death are embrued with his bloud 47. Rebellious Subjects cannot deprive a King of more than He may be content to lose when God sees fit by their hands to take it from Him whose mercy he is to believe will more than iufinitely recompence what ever by mans injustice He is pleased to deprive him of 48. A miserable King shall not want the heavy and envied Crowns of this world when God hath mercifully Crowned and Consummated his graces with Glory and exchanged the shadowes of his earthly Kingdoms among men for the substance of that Heavenly Kingdom with himself 49. A good King overpower'd by Rebbels may notwithstanding be perswaded within himself that he is happy in the judicious love of the ablest and best of his Subjects who may not only pity and pray for him but may be content even to dy with him or for him 50. No Subjects that pretend to punish can reasonably therein exceed the errours of their Princes especially where more than sufficient satisfaction hath been made to the publick the enjoyment of which private ambitions may have frustrated 51. An injur'd King's chiefest comfort in death consists in his peace made with God before whose exact Tribunal he need not fear to appear as to any cause long-disputed by the Sword between Him and his causeless Enemies 52. A good King may look upon it with infinite more content and quiet of Soul to have been worsted in his enforced contestation for and vindication of the just Lawes of his Land the freedom and honour of his Parliaments the rights of his Crown the just liberty of his Subjects and the true Christian Religion in its Doctrines Government and due encouragements than if He had with the greatest advantages of success evercome them all 53. The King that suffers for Christ as he is the Authour of Truth Order and Peace being forced to contend against Errour Faction and Confusion shall through Christ enabling Him be more than Conquerour in the end 54. Although any violent death of an unfortunate King be the wages of his own sin as from God and the
effect of others sins as men both against God and Him yet as He may hope his own sins are so remitted that they shall be no ingredients to imbitter the cup of his death so should He desire God to pardon their sins who are most guilty of his destruction or that his temporal death unjustly inflicted by them may not be reveng'd by Godâ—s just inflicting eternal death upon them 55. An unfortunate King though us'd like Jonas should wish no other than the safe-bringing of the ship to shore when they have cast Him over-board 56. The cruelty of a devoted King's Enemies cannot prevent his preparation whose malice by God's mercy He may in this defeat that they shall not have the satisfaction to have destroyed his Soul with his body 57. Conversation is the chief joy or vexation of a King's life 58. The conversation a King has in his troubles can be no way satisfactory or usefull when some about Him are too wise others too foolish some too busie others too reserved many fantastick 59. A King much delighted with the conversation of his vertuous Queen is hard to be pleased by any else about Him when forced to part from her but not less to be pitied by her who is the only cure for that disease 60. A vertuous Queen's kindness is as necessary to comfort the heart of her King who is separated from her by his troubles or misfortunes as her assistance is for his affairs 61. A King full fraught with expectation need pray God to send him a good unlading especially when some blow of importance is to be given between his and the Rebels Army in the field 62. Although a King cannot brag of store of mony in his Wars yet a sharp sword alwayes hinders starving at least 63. In Civil Wars the King may make as good a shift with an empty purse as the Rebels 64. A generous Queen whose affection to her King is truly grounded will be in as much if not more trouble to find his Reputation as his Life in danger 65. When distractions in Religion arise amongst Rebels and General is set against General in point of command a Treaty with their King may be most desireable and not to be refused by Him when all means used to procure it shall be consistent with his Royal Honour and safety and all else unquestionably councelable considered 66. When Rebels confident of their power or obstinate in their purpose become somewhat difficult to be brought into a Treaty the sound of their King 's coming to them may have some force of popular Rhetorick to obtain it of if refused it may bring much prejudice to them and be advantageous to their King 67. When foolish or malicious Peope shall interpret their King's desire to treat with Rebels to proceed from fear or folly He is to joyn such conditions with the Proposition of it as may be found to be most of the chief ingredients of an honourable and safe Peace 68. A King may prudently yield to a Treaty with Rebels in their quarters so that the conditions save any aspersion of dishonour if factious Spirits about Him are likely to infuse their malignity in his own 69. When a King in some apprehension expresseth his inclination to treat with Rebels from whence false malicious rumours may give trouble to his absent Queen although He judge Himself secure in her thoughts from suspecting Him guilty of any baseness yet He may hold it necessary to send her some account to the end she may make others know as well as her self this which ought to be a certain truth That no danger of death or misery which He may think much worse should make Him do any thing unworthy of her love 70. In times of Rebellion when diverse men propose several recompences to themselves for their pains and hazard with their King the recovery of the company of a loyal and vertuous Queen may be the only reward the said King will expect and wish for Himself 71. A King in no extremity should make a peace with Rebels by abandoning his friends or such a one as will not stand with his honour and safety 72. Although a King cannot part with the patrimony of the Church yet whatsoever shall be offered for rectifying abuses if any hath crept in or yet for the ease of tender Consciences so that it endammage not the foundation He may be content to hear and should be ready to give a gracious answer thereunto 73. As it is the King's duty to protect the Church so it is the Churches to assist the King in the maintenance of his just authority 74. A King should be alwayes carefull to keep the dependency of his Clergy entirely upon his Crown without which it will scarcely sit fast upon his head 75. After Conscience the Militia is certainly the fittest Subject for a King's Quarrel the Kingly power without it being but as a shadow and therefore upon no means in any Treaty to be quitted 76. In the time of Civil War news at home may be too good to be told in the Court of a foreign Prince though a friend to the King attacqued by his Rebellious Subjects there being certainly as much dexterity in publishing of newes as in matters which at first sight may seem of greater difficulty For as the engaged King would not have his friends think that all assistance bestowed upon Him were in vainâ—â— so would He not have them believe that He needed no help least they should under hand assist any Rebels to keep the ballance of dissention amongst them equal 77. The good of ignorance of a friends danger by a storm is not known before certain assurance of his or her escape 78. It is not the least of a King's misfortunes that his vertuous Queen should run much hazard for his sake 79. Although a Queen have expressed so much love to her distressed King as he may think impossible to be repay'd by any thing He can do much less by words yet his Royal heart being full of affection for her admiration of her and impatient passion of gratitude unto her He ought to say something leaving the rest to be read by her out of her own noble heart 80. When Rebels have once found means to build credit on the peoples opinion they can proceed under pretence of Reformation of Religion to dissolve the Government of a Church 81. Politick Rebels under pretence of ill Ministers and Councellours of Estate know how to invade the Majesty of their Soveraign in the Prerogatives of his Crown and by pretending to remove them to invest in themselves the Domination of all Ministries of Estate withdraw their King's revenues into their own hands and confirm themselves in an absolute power of disposing all 82. A King by his Declarations setting forth the sinister proceedings of any faction against Him discovering their designs of innovating the Government and falsifying the scandals they had imputed to Him hath the advantage generally to
do nor the least evill they prevent 18. The King against whom all advantages will be taken by persons disaffected to Him should take heed where He comes that no eminent disorder or damage befall any Man by any person of his Train or under his protection 19. Where a Party of People have shewed themselves eminently loyal to their King the fullest testimony of his affection to them and to the peace of their County may be this to pass over the considerations of Honour and Reproach and not permit a provocation to provoke Him to make that place be the seat of his War 20. No honest man can imagine that his King will ever sit down under a bold and unexcusable Treason 21. A King wholly cast upon the affections of his People having no hope but in the blessing and assistance of God the justness of his Cause and the love of his Subjects to recover what is taken from Him and Them may expect a good issue the rather in that they are equal losers with Him 22. When a King desires nothing of his People but what is necessary to be done for the preservation of God's true Religion the Lawes of the Land the Liberty of the Subject and the very being of his Kingdom He has reason to look for a speedy and effectual compliance with his demands 23. A King has no reason to suspect the Courage and Resolution of those his Subjects whose Conscience and Loyalty have brought them to Him to fight for their Religion their King and the Lawes of their Land especially when they are to meet with no Enemies but Traytors Schismaticks and Atheïsts such as desire to destroy both Church and State and who have before condemned them to ruine for being loyal to their King 24. It gives courage to the Soldier when his King satisfies Him that the cause is just wherein He means to make use of his valour 25. If the time of War and the great necessity and straits a King is driven to beget any violation of those Lawes to which He hath consented He may hope it shall be imputed by God and Man to the Authors of the War and not to Him if so He hath earnestly laboured for the preservation of the Peace of his Kingdom 26. The Residence of an Army is not usually pleasant to any place and that of a distressed King caries more fear with it who it may be thought must only live upon the aid and relief of his people 27. It is not prudence in loyal Subjects to suffer a good Cause to be lost for want of supplying their King with that which will be taken from them by those who pursue Him with violence 28. Whilst ill men sacrifice their Money Plate and utmost Industry to destroy the Commonwealth good men should be no less liberal to preserve it 29. When it hath pleased God to bless a King with success in a War He should remember the Assistance every particular man gave Him to his advantage 30. However a King succeeds in his Wars it will be honour and comfort to his loyal Subjects that with some charge and trouble to themselves they did their part to support their King and preserve the Kingdom 31. The People that have been awed by a Rebellious Army will be more prone to express their affections to their King with that courage which becomes them when his Residence shall be so near that his Power shall have an influence upon the Country for their protection 32. No man should have more power to fright People from their Loyalty than their King have to restore them to it 33. Loyal Subjects in assisting their King defend themselves who may be sure the Sword which is drawn against Him will destroy them if He defend them not 34. It will be a shame for People to venture nothing for their King who ventures his life for them 35. In a Civil War whatsoever good People shall be willing freely to contribute their King should take kindly from them and whatsoever they lend Him he should having passed the word of a King see justly repayed to them 36. A King should take especial notice of such who are backward to contribute in a time of visible necessity 37. When a King considers the publick interests and concernments of his Parliament in the happiness and honour of the Nation and their particular sufferings in a Rebellion for their affection and Loyalty unto Him He must look upon them as the most competent Considerers and Counsellours how to manage and improve the condition all are in his and their condition being so equall that the same violence hath oppress'd them all 38. It will be in vain for them who have informed the World by divers set Battels against their King to boast how tender they have been for the safety of his Person 39. It will be hard for a King who is to struggle with many defects and necessities to keep a strict discipline among his Soldiers 40. Guilt and Despair make Rebels sometimes more wicked than they at first intended to be 41. A King should have no greater sadness for those who are his ill Subjects than He hath joy and comfort in their affections and fidelities who are his good 42. License and Disorder in an Army will discredit and may destroy the best cause 43. Subjects ought to remember That moneys are the nerves of War and accordingly expedite supplies to their King when He needs them 44. There is no profession a King hath made for the defence and maintenance of right Religion Lawes and Liberties which He should not inviolably observe 45. A King's Opinion wherein He differs from his Subjects in Parliament should not be like the Lawes of the Medes and Persians unalterable being not infallible 46. Nothing should so much afflict a King as the sense-and feeling He has of the sufferings of his Subjects and the miseries that hang over his Kingdoms when drawn upon them by those who upon pretenses of good violently pursue their own interests and ends 47. Such men may be supposed most apt and likely to maintain their power by blood and rapine who have only got it by Oppression and Injustice 48. Civil Dissentions that are desperate may encourage and invite a foreign Enemy to make a prey of the whole Nation where they are 49. Plague Pestilence and Famine will be the inevitable attendants of unnatural Contentions between a King and his People 50. A Kingdom being infested with Civil War so general a habit of uncharitableness and cruelty is contracted throughout that even Peace it self will not restore the Peace to their old temper and security 51. In the time of a Civil War the King should be so deeply sensible of the miseries and calamities of his Kingdom and the grievous sufferings of his Subjects as most earnestly to desire that some expedient may be found out which by the blessing of God may prevent the further effusion of blood and restore the Nation to Peace
ground and to lay his honour in the dust 19. God that sees not as man sees lookes beyond all popular appearances searches the heart and tryes the reins and brings to light things hidden in the dark 20. A Kings afflictions cannot be esteemed by wise and godly men any argument of his sin in shedding bloud he would have saved more than their impunity among good men is any sure token of their innocency that forc't him to it 21. A King may expect God's Protection from the privy conspiracies and open violence of bloudy and unreasonable men according to the uprightness of his heart and the innocency of his hands in the matter of bloud or destruction of his Subjects 22. In time of civil dissensions a King may most safely flie to God as his refuge and defence who rules the raging of the Sea and the madness of the People 23. A King should look upon his own sins and the sins of his People which are the tumults of their Souls against God as the just cause of popular inundations permitted by God to over-bear all the banks of Loyalty Modesty Lawes Justice and Religion 24. God can rebuke the rebellious beasts of the People and deliver his King from the rudeness and strivings of the multitude 25. It becomes King and People as Men and Christians unpassionately to see the light of Reason and Religion and with all due order and gravity to follow it 26. A Charitable King will wish his rebellious People a timely sense and sorrow that shame here and not suffering hereafter may be the punishment of their Sin 27. When God shall set bounds to our Passions by Reason to our Errours by Truth to our Seditions by Lawes duly executed and to our Schismes by Charity then we may be as Jerusalem a City at unity in it self 28. A King in distress should still appeal to his God whose all-discerning Justice sees through all the disguises of mens pretensions and deceitfull darknesses of their hearts 29. A King to whom God gave a heart to grant much to his Subjects may need a heart fitted to suffer much from them 30. Gods Grace may teach a King wisely to enjoy as well the frustratings as the fullfillings of his best hopes and most specious desires 31. A King sometimes while he thinks to allay others fears may raise his own and by setling them unsettle himself 32. Evil for good is a bad requital and hatred for the good will of a King to his People 33. A King needs God for his Pilot in such a dark and dangerous storm as neither admits his return to the Port whence he set out nor his making any other with that safety and honour which he designed 34. It is easie for God to keep a King safe in the love and confidence of his people 35. A King needs God for his Guardian amidst the unjust hatred and jealousies of them whom he suffers so far to prevail as to pervert and abuse his acts of greatest Indulgence to and assurance of them 36. A penitent King ought to know no favours of his can make others more guilty than himself may be in abusing those many and great ones which God had conferred upon him 37. A King in time of publick calamity by civil dissensions should ask of God such Repentance for himself and his people as he will accept and such Grace as they may not abuse 38. The King is happy who can make a right use of others abuses and by their failings of him reflect with a reforming displeasure upon his own offemces against God 39. Although a King for his own sins be by other mens sins deprived of temporal blessings yet he may be happy to enjoy the comfort of God's mercies which often raise the greatest sufferers to be the most glorious Saints 40. It is God's will a King should preserve a Native Rational and Religious freedom 41. God requires of Kings to submit their understandings and wills unto his whose wisdom and goodness can neither erre nor misguide them 42. God requires of Kings so far to deny their carnal reason in order to his sacred Mysteries and Commands that they should believe and obey rather than dispute them 43. God expects from Kings only such a reasonable service of him as not to do any thing for him against their Consciences 44. As to the desires of men God enjoins Kings to try all things by the touch-stone of Reason and Lawes which are the rules of civil Justice and to declare their consents to that only which their judgments approve 45. Kings should be very unwilling to desert that place in which God hath set them and whereto the affairs of their Kingdoms do call them 46. A King may be content for his Peoples good to deny himself in what God hath subjected to his disposal 47. The unthankfull importunities and tumultuary violence of some mens immoderate demands should never betray a King to that dangerous and unmanly slavery as to make him strengthen them by his consent in those things which he thinks in his Conscience to be against God's glory the good of his Subjects and the discharge of his own duty to Reason and Justice 48. A King should be willing to suffer the greatest indignities and injuries Rebellious people press upon him rather than commit the least sin against his Conscience 49. The just liberties of People may well be preserved in fair and equal wayes without the slavery of their King's Soul 50. He whom God hath invested by his favours in the power of a Christian King should not subject his Reason to other mens Passions and Designs which seem unreasonable unjust and irreligious unto him 51. The way of Truth and Justice will bring a distressed King at last to peace and happiness with God though for them he hath much trouble among men 52. A King and Queen scattered on earth by their despightfull and deadly enemies may be prepared by their sufferings for God's presence 53. Though a King's difference from his Queen in some things as to Religion may be his greatest temporal infelicity yet the sincerity of their affections which desire to seek find and to embrace every Truth given by God may be acceptable unto him 54. It is happy for King and Queen different in Religion when either ignorance of what is necessary to be known or unbelief or disobedience to what they know becomes their misery or their wilfull default 55. The great scandal of Subjects professing the same true Religion with their King may be an hinderance to the dissenting Queen in the love of some Truth God would have her to learn or may harden her in some errour he would have cleared to her 56. A King 's own and his Parties constancy is the best antidote against the poyson of their example that gave such scandal 57. The Truth of that Religion the King propfesseth represented with all the beauties of Humility Loyalty Charity and Peaceableness as the proper fruits and
whose subjection as it preserves their property peace and safety so it will never diminish his Rights nor their ingenuous Liberties which consist in the injoyment of the fruits of their industry and the benefit of those Lawes to which themselves have consented 19. No Subjects can without an high degree of guilt and sin devest the King of those enjoyments which the Lawes have assigned to Him 20. The King in uncertain times is to require and entreat the Prince his Son as his Father and his King that He never suffer his heart to receive the least check against or disaffection from the true Religion established in the Church of England 21. After trial much search and many disputes I conclude the Religion of the Church of England to be the best in the World not only in the Community as Christian but also in the special notion as Reformed keeping the middle way between the pomp of superstitious Tyranny and the meanness of fantastick Anarchy 22. The drought being excellent as to the main both for Doctrine and Government in the Church of England some lines as in very good figures may happily need some sweetning or polishing which might have easily been done by a safe and gentle hand if some mens precipitancy had not violently demanded such rude alterations as would have quite destroyed all the beauty and proportions of the whole 23. The King is not to entertain any aversation or dislike of Parliaments which in their right constitution with Freedom and Honour will never injure or diminish his greatness but will rather be as interchangings of love loyalty and confidence between a Prince and his People 24. The sad effects that have issued from the insolencies of popular dictates and tumultuary impressions should make Parliaments more cautious to preserve that Freedom and Honour which belong to such Assemblies 25. Nothing can be more happy for all than in fair grave and honourable wayes to contribute their Councels in Common enacting all things by publick consent without Tyranny or Tumults 26. After the storm of Civil dissension and War wherein the folly and wickedness of some men have so far ruined as to leave nothing intire 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 the yong Prince that succeeds should be an Anchor or Harbour rather to the tossed and weather-beaten Kingdoms a Repairer of the ruines by his wisdom justice piety and valour 27. The King cannot in what extremity soever suffer any diminution of the Churches patrimony or alienation of it it being without paradventure Sacriledg and likewise contrary to his Coronation-Oath 28. The Government of the Church according to its constitution in England is a chief column and support to the Monarchy and Crown 29. The greatest means to make a Parliament happy is That the King on his part and the Members thereof on theirs lay aside all suspicion one of another 30. The Navy and Forts are the walls and defence of this Kingdom which if out of Order all men may easily judge what encouragement it will be to our Enemies and what disheartning to our Friends 31. The King can no way consent that the voyces of Bishops in Parliament should be taken away which they have enjoy'd since and before the Conquest and is one of the fundamental constitutions of this Kingdom 32. Often Parliaments is the fittest mean to keep correspondency between the King and his People 33. Neither Queen Elizabeth nor my Father King James did ever avow that any Priest in their time was executed meerly for Religion the inconveniences that by this severity may fall to the King's Subjects and other Protestants abroad ought to be considered by any Parliament that presses it 34. The Parliament that takes the Government all in pieces must do like a skillfull Watchmaker to make clean his Watch who takes it asunder puts it again together but leaves not out one pin if he means to have it go better 35. The Parliament ought not to wish more than they can shew the King the way how conveniently it may be done 36. It is the great expression of Trust the King has in the affections of his Parliament unto Him when before they do any thing for Him He puts a confidence in them by his gracious concessions 37. If any person durst be so impudent as to move the King to alter the Lawes He ought to put such a mark upon him as from which all posterity might know his intention was ever to govern by the Law and no otherwise 38. That Parliament is not to alledg against the King his deceiving their expectation in the time of his return having departed with their consent who as much and more have deceived Him in the condition for proceeding in his affairs 39. When the King sends a Serjeant at Armes to His Parliament He may expect obedience not a message 40. In cases of Treason no person hath a priviledg by being a Member of the Parliament 41. The King should alwayes be as tender of any thing which may advance the true Protestant Religion protect and preserve the Lawes of the Land and defend the just priviledg and freedom of Parliaments as of his Life or his Crown 42. When the King calls his Parliament together to be witnesses of his Actions and privy to his Intentions it may be certainly believed He has not the least thought disagreeing with the happiness and security of his Kingdom 43. A loyal Parliaments concurrence with the King it may be hoped will so far prevail over the hearts and understandings of the whole Kingdom who must look upon the Members as persons naturally and originally trusted by and for them that it will be above the reach and malice of those who sometimes have too great an influence upon the People to discredit the King 's most intire Actions and sincere Promises the Members being the best witnesses for the one and security for the other 44. When the King and his Parliament have both the same ends there will be no other differences in the way than what upon debate and right understanding will be easily adjusted 45. Let right Religion in which all are most nearly concerned and without care of which they must not look for God's blessing be vindicated and preserved Let the King's honour and Rights which have an inseparable relation with the Subjects interests be vindicated and if ravish'd from Him restored Let the Subjects Liberties Properties Priviledges without which a good man should not desire to be a King be secured and confirmed and there is nothing the Parliament can advise the King to wherein He should not meet them that together they may inform Posterity how much their trust and confidence in each other is a better expedient for the Peace and Preservation of the Kingdom than Fears and Jealousies 46. During any Session of Parliament the King may expect as most proper for the duty of Subjects that Propositions for the remedies of evils ought rather to come to Him than from Him yet such should be his Fatherly care of his People that He should rather lay by any particular respect of his own dignity than that any time should be lost for the preventing of those threatning evils which cannot admit the delayes of the ordinary proceedings in Parliament 47. That the Subjects cannot be obliged to obey an Act Order or Injunction of Parliament to which the King hath not given consent is the King 's known and unquestionable Priviledg and being so is a Priviledg of the Kingdoms 48. The Kings power is invested in Him by the Law and by that only He should desire to maintain it 49. The King that gives away the Militia parts with the power of the Sword entrusted to Him by God and the Lawes of the Land for the protection and government of his People thereby at once devesting Himself and dis-inheriting his Posterity of that right and Prerogative of the Crown which is absolutely necessary to the Kingly Office and so weakens Monarchy in his Kingdom that little more than the name and shadow of it will remain 50. For the abolishing Arch-Bishops Bishops c. a Britannike Soveraign cannot give his consent as He is a Christian and a King 51. The Britannike Kings have so inseparably woven the right of the Church into the liberties of the rest of the Subjects as the Government by Arch-Bishops and Bishops cannot be abolished 52. The King cannot consent to the alienation of Church-Lands because it cannot be denied to be a sin of the highest Sacriledg as also that it subverts the intentions of so many pious Donors who have laid a heavy curse upon all such prophane violations Beside which matter of Conscience it will be a prejudice to the publick good many of the Subjects having the benefit of renuing Leases at much easier Rates than if those possessions were in the hands of private men Nor is it to be omitted the discouragement which it will be to all learning and industry when such eminent rewards shall be taken away which now lye open to the Children of meanest persons 53. The exercise of mercy should be no more pleasing to the King than to see both Houses of Parliament consent for his sake that He should moderate the severity of the Law in an important case 54. No Free-born Subject of England can call Life or any thing he possesseth his own if Power without Right dayly make new and abrogate the old fundamental Law of the Land 55. I am confident no learned Lawyer will afirm that an impeachment can lye against the King all the Lawes going in his Name and one of their Maximes being that The King can do no wrong 56. The Commons of England was never a Court of Judicature Vid. H. Grot. ad cap. 1. Proverb 1. Lips Excerpt ex Comoed. Tragoed Graec.
Conscience though the very Centre to a sentence upon it self and what an unsufferable torture 't is either to look upon the lively Pourtraicture of that King or hear him speak though but in his papers whom with axe or pen or tongue or wishfull thought they murder'd or negatively in not detesting not decrying not invective-writing not preventive-acting were accessory in the least degree they alone that committed the fault and feel the pain can truly tell This courtesie I have therefore done them who would needs turn away from the salve because it signifies they have a sore they are hereby no more concerned as to what is past than any of the Antipodes under the government of a King The Aphorismes are general and applicable to any Kingdom in many of which those Subjects that mean to Act may read their duty and they that do not may expect their doom I at first had done as Simplicius saith Arrian had with those of Epictetus collected only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most seasonable the most necessary and the most motive or operative upon the minds of men wherewith being so much affected I thought the book very well worth review as loth to leave ought behind that might have the like efficacy by the sense though not altogether the same acuteness in the conceipt nor elegance in the language by which gleaning or recollection I recover'd many as fair and full eares as those I had before bound up in the sheaf many Aphorismes no less considerable no less deserving an intent regard Some others if you find coincident with those of the first rank as some you will I pray know that the same passed me not unobserved but having some difference in expression though little or none in sense they were ad led the more to oblige you and to effect that prevalency upon you which your hast from the former might not admit Such if any such there be as may seem flat and ordinary they are to be set to my account who confess my self so indulgent in my reverence of the Royal Authour that nothing of his could fall so low in my esteem Others that are not many but borrowed and made English I have entituled to the High Translatour whose authority gives more weight to 'em and more they penetrate press'd by Him In sententiâ ut penetret valde facit robustae alicujus receptae auctoritatis pondus That all were not reduc'd to heads and ranged under Common places has reason such as I think not fit to be mention'd here you may know that the learned Grotius who was wont neither to spare nor to lose his pains has done the like in a greater Volume As it is if you be not more curious than obsequious in what concerns you either to know or practise you will have for what to thank me who confirm you in your Religion and Loyalty or lead you gently to it by a Royal hand I have one thing more to require of you that you make not too much hast to censure me for imposing that upon you as His Majesty's which may appear compos'd by me Some such Aphorismes indeed there are for which some little change the inserting of some few words was necessary to give them as well the form as force of Rules or Dictates in which if you take no less pains to justifie than I did to avoid your censure you will find it frustrate and me guilty of nought but more endeavours than you have desires for your own advantage wherewith I wish you well A Table shewing where the Centuries begin Cent. 1 beginneth Pag. 1 Cent. 2 beginneth Pag. 22 Cent. 3 beginneth Pag. 44 Cent. 4 beginneth Pag. 67 Cent. 5 beginneth Pag. 87 Cent. 6 beginneth Pag. 110 Cent. 7 beginneth Pag. 138 Cent. 8 beginneth Pag. 161 Cent. 9 beginneth Pag. 194 Cent. 10 beginneth Pag. 231 Cent. 11 beginneth Pag. 265 Cent. 12 beginneth Pag. 293 EFFATA REGALIA The First Century 1. THe weight of Reason will counterpoise the overballancings of any factions 2. The gravity and discretion of Gentlemen may alay and fix the Commons to a due temperament 3 The interest of a King and his Children give him many obligations to seek and preserve the love and welfare of his subjects 4 The love and welfare of subjects is the only temporal blessing left to the ambition of just Monarchs as their greatest honour and safety next Gods protection 5 Wherein a King lessens his prerogative he may gain a recompence in the affections of his Subjects 6 No flames of civil dissentions are more dangerous then those which make religious pretensions ground of factions 7 Kings should not suffer their own judgments to be overborn more by others importunities then their arguments 8 The great abilities of Lords may make a Prince more afraid then ashamed to employ them in the greatest affairs of State 9 Officers of State moving in an high sphere and with a vigorous lustre must needs raise many envious exhalations capable to cast a cloud upon their brightest merit and integrity 10 Between a Kings unsatisfiedness in himself and a seeming necessity of satisfying the importunity of some people it discovers more a fear of men then of God to prefer what is safe before what seemeth just 11 A King is not to prefer the outward peace of his Kingdoms with men to the inward exactness of conscience before God 12 It is a bad exchange for a King to wound his own conscience thereby to salve State-sores To calm the stormes of popular discontents by stirring up a tempest in his own bosom 13 There is a fallacy in that maxime Better one man perish though unjustly then the People be displeased or destroyed 14 ' The best rule of policy is to prefer the doing of Justice before all enjoyments and the peace of conscience before the preservation of kingdoms 15 Many are terrified by tumults to concurre with the condemning party rather then satisfied that of right they ought so to do 16 A King ought to be more afraid to take away a mans life unjustly then to lose his own 17 Suspicions not raised out of malice are not in reason to be smothered 18 No present impunity or popular vindication will be subterfuge to men guilty of evil machinations sufficient to rescue them from the exact tribunals of God and their own consciences 19 There is an after unavoidable judgment which shal rejudg what among men is but corruptly decided or give the final sentence if not at all 20 It is a better resolution rather to bear repulse with patience then to use hazardous extremities 21 It is one of the most convincing arguments that there is a God while his power sets bounds to the raging of the sea and no less that he restrains the madness of the people 22 Nothing port ends more Gods displeasur against a nation then when he suffers the confluence and clamors of the Vulgar to pass all boundaries of Lawes and reverence to Authoritie
23 Nothing more to be feared and less to be used by wise men then tumultuary confluxes of meane and rude people who are taught first to petition then to protest then to dictate at last to command and over-awe 24 Whoever hath most mind to bring forth confusion and ruin upon a Church and State useth the midwifery of the peoples tumults 25 What good man had not rather want any thing he most desires then to obtain it by unlawful and irreligious means 26 Mens passions and Gods directions seldom agree 27 Violent designs and motions must have sutable engines such as too much attend their owne ends seldom confine themselves to Gods means 28 Force must crowd in what reason will not lead 29 It is no strange thing for the sea to rage when strong winds blow upon it nor for multitudes to become insolent when they have men of some reputation for parts and piety to set them on 30 Such is some mens stupid tie that they fear no inconvenience 31 Such is some mens petulancy that they joy to see their betters shamefully outraged and abused while they know their owne security consists in vulgar sâ—attery 32 A Kings withdrawing may give time for the ebbing of tumultuous fury and others regaining some degrees of modesty and sober sense 33 It is a hardiness beyond true valour for a wise man to set himselfe against the breaking in of a sea 34 A gallant man had rather â—ight to great disadvantages for number and place in the field in an orderly way then shuffle with an undisciplined rabble 35 It is safest to withdraw from the daily baitings of tumults not knowing whether their fury and discontent may not flie so high as â—â— worry and tear those in pieces whom as yet they but play with in their pawes 36 A King is not bound to prostitute the Majestie of his place and person the safety of his Queen and children to those who are prone to insult most when they have objects and opportunities most capable of their rudeness and petulancy 37 The just avenger of all disorders many times makes men and Cities see their sinnâ— in the glass of their punishment 38 It is more then an even lay that men may one day see themselvs punished by that way they offended 39 As Swine are to gardens and orderly plantations so are tumults to Parliaments and Plebeian concourses to publick Councels turning all into disorders and sordid confusions 40 God orders our disorders and magnifies his wisdom most when our follies and miseries are most discovered 41 Such is some mens activity that they will needs make work rather then want it and chuse to be doing amisse rather then do nothing 42 Good subjects will never think it just or fit that their Kings condition should be worse by his bettering theirs 43 Some men know not so well with moderation to use as with earnestness to desire advantages of doing good or evil 44 The Kings interest lies more then any mans in the due execuexecution and vigour of preserved Laws 45 A King ought not to desire more then the Law gives him and less the meanest Subject should not have 46 It is ingratitude unworthy of honour That the more is granted them by their King the less he should have and enjoy with them 47 A King may count himselfe undiminished by his largest concessions if by them he gains and confirms the love of his people 48 The Peoples love may increase toward their King as they have more leisure and lesse prejudice 49 People may be miserable in this only That some mens ambition will not give them leave to enjoy what their King intends for their good 50 A King may be mistaken when perswaded that he cannot grant too much or distrust too little to men that being professedly his subjects pretend singular piety and religious strictness 51 It argues a very short sight of things and extreme fatuity of mind in a King to bind his owne hands at the request of his subjects when he shortly meanes to use a sword against them 52 It would be a course full of sinne as well as of hazard and dishonour for a King to go about the cutting up of that by the sword which he had lately planted to his subjects and his own content 53 Some men fear where no fear is whose security consists in scaring others 54 A King may repent his letting some men go up to the Pinnacle of the Temple when it doth prove a temptation to them to cast him downe headlong 55 As many Kingdomes as the divel shewed our Saviour and thâ—â— glory of them if they could be at once enjoyed by ambitious People are not worth the gaining by wayes of sinful ingratitude and dishonor which hazards a soul worth more worlds then this hath Kingdomes 56 It is no strange thing for men left to their own passions either to do much evil themselves or abuse the over-much goodnesse of others 57 An ungrateful surfet of others goodness is the most desperate and incurable disease 58 There may be an error in a King of too charitable a judgement without any sinne of his will 59 A King may be sorry to see other mens eyes evil because his is good 60 To be forced to sea by a storm unprovided of tackling and victual is better then to venture splitting or sinking on a Lee-shore 61 Some mens hydropick insatiableness is such as no fountain of royal Bounty is able to overcome so resolved they seem either utterly to exhaust it or barbarously to obstruct it 62 It ceases to be a Councel when not reason is used as to men to perswade but force and terror as to beasts to drive and compel men to assent to what ever tumultuary Patrons shall project 63 He deserves to be a slave without pity or redemption that is content to have the rational soveraignty of his soul and liberty of his will and words captivated by force and terror 64. Kingdomes are not so considerable as to preserve them with the forfeiture of that freedom which cannot be denied to a King because it belongs to him as a man and Christian 65 A King is to owne the dictates of none but God to be above him as obliging him to consent 66 Better for a King to die enjoying the Empire of his soul which subjects him onely to God so farre as by Reason or Religion he directs him then live with the title of a King if it should carry such a Vassalage with it as not to suffer him to use his reason and conscience in what he declares as a King to like or dislike 67 A King is not conscientiously tied to go against his conscience in consenting to such new Proposals as his Reason Justice Honour and Religion bids him deny 68 So tender some men are of their being subject to arbitrary Government that they care not with how much dishonour and absurdity they make their King the only man that must be
and Apostacy 47. A King ought rather to live on the Churches almes than violently to take the bread out of Bishops and Ministers mouths 48. They are but golden Calves that must be serv'd when Jeroboam consecrates the meanest of the people to be Priests 49. A King can not so much as pray God to prevent the sad consequences which will inevitably follow the Parity and Poverty of Ministers both in Church and State Because 50. It is no less than a moâ—â—ing and tempting of God to desire him to hinder those mischiefs whose occasions and remedies are in our own power 51. There are wayes enough to repair the breaches of the State without the ruins of the Church 52. As a King should be a Restorer of the State so not an Opressour of the Church under the pretence of publick debts 53. If a good King had not his own Innocency and God's Protection it were hard for him to stand out against those stratagems and conflicts of malice which by falsities seek to oppress the Truth and by jealousies to supply the defect of real causes which might seem to justifie unjust Engagements against him 54. The worst effects or open hostility come short of what is in disloyal close designs 55. A King should more willingly lose his Crown than his credit nor should his Kingdom be so dear to him as his reputation and honour 56. A good name is the embalming of Princes and a sweet consecrating of them to an eternity of love and gratitude among Posterity 57. Foul and false aspersions are secret engins employed against peoples love of their King that undermining their opinion and value of him his enemies and theirs may at once blow up their affections and batter down their Loyalty 58. The detriment of a Kings honor by calumnies should not be so afflictive to him as the sin and danger of his peoples souls 59. Peoples eyes once blinded with mists of suspitions are soon misled into the most desperate precipices of actions wherein they do not only not consider their sin and danger but glory in their zealous adventures 60. Mislead people imagine they then fear God most when they least honour their King and are most ambitious to merit the name of his destroyers 61. A King's pity ought to be above his anger 62. A King's passions should never prevail against himself as to exclude his most compassionate prayers for them whom devout errours more than their own malice have betrayed to a most religious Rebellion 63. It is a generous charity in a King to interpret that his Subjects in armes fight against his supposed errours not his person intending to mend him not to end him 64. It is somewhat above humanity in a King not more willingly to forgive the seductions in his Subjects which occasioned their Loyal injuries then to be ambitious by all Princely merits to redeem them from their just suspicions and reward them for their good intentions 65. A King should be too conscious to his own affections toward the generality of his People to suspect theirs to him 66. A King should never gratifie the spightfulness of a few with any sinister thoughts of their allegeance whom pious frauds have seduced 67. A King should never be perswaded to make so bad interpretatations of most of his Subjects actions as to judge otherwise than that possibly they may be erroneous but not haeretical in point of Loyalty 68. A King should have as sharp a sense of the injuries done to his Subjects as those done to himself their well fares being inseparable 69. Seduced Subjects in this suffer more than their King that they are animated to injure at once both themselves and him 70. A King sometimes hath such enemies among his Subjects as to whose malice it is not enough that he is afflicted unless by those whose prosperity he earnestly desires and whose seduction he heartily deplores 71. A King for restoring tranquility unto his people might willingly be the Jonah if he foresees not evidently that by the divided interest of theirs and his enemies as by contrary winds the storm of their miseries would be rather increased than allayed 72. A King should rather prevent his Peoples ruine than rule over them 73. A King should not be so ambitious of that Dominion which is but his right as of his peoples happiness if it could but expiate or countervail such a way of obtaining it by the highest injuries of Subjects committed against their Soveraign 74. A King should rather suffer all the miseries of life and dye many deaths than shamefully to desert or dishonourably to betray his own just Rights and Soveraignty thereby to gratifie the ambition or justifie the malice of his Enemies 75. A King ought to put as great a difference between the malice of his enemies and other mens mistakes as between an ordinary Ague and the Plague or the Itch of Novelty and the Leprosie of Disloyalty 76. As liars need have good memories so malicious persons need good inventions that their calumnies may fit every man's fancy and what their reproaches want of truth they may make up with number and shew 77. A King should have more patience to bear and charity to forgive than leisure to answer the many false aspersions which men may cast upon him 78. It gives mens malice too much pleasure for a King to take notice or remember what they say or object 79. When a King confutes calumnies it should be more for his Subjects satisfaction than his own vindication 80. Mens evil maners and seared consciences will soon enough confute and revenge the black and false scandals which they cast upon their King 81. Rebels credit and reputation may be blasted by the breath of that same furnace of popular obliquy and detraction which they study to heat and inflame to the highest degree of infamy and therein seek to cast and consume their King's name and honour 82. They are misperswaded who think these two utterly inconsistent to be at once loyal to their King and truly religious toward God 83. Some popular Preachers think it no sin to lye for God and what they call Gods Cause cursing all that will not curse with them 84. Such men look so much at and cry up the goodness of the end propounded that they consider not the lawfulness of the means used nor the depth of that mischief chiefly plotted and intended 85. The weakness of these mens judgments must be made up by their clamours and activity 86. It is a great part of some mens Religion to scandalize their King and his thinking theirs cannot be true if they cry not down his as false 87. A King fights not against his own Religion who imployes Subjects of different perswasions to maintain it 88. Differences of perswasion in matters of Religion may easily fall out where there is the sameness of Duty Allegeance and Subjection 79. When a King confutes calumnies it should be more for his Subjects satisfaction than
his own vindication 80. Mens evil maners and seared consciences will soon enough confute and revenge the black and false scandals which they cast upon their King 81. Rebels credit and reputation may be blasted by the breath of that same furnace of popular obliquy and detraction which they study to heat and inflame to the highest degree of infamy and therein seek to cast and consume their King's name and honour 82. They are misperswaded who think these two utterly inconsistent to be at once loyal to their King and truly religious toward God 83. Some popular Preachers think it no sin to lye for God and what they call Gods Cause cursing all that will not curse with them 84. Such men look so much at and cry up the goodness of the end propounded that they consider not the lawfulness of the means used nor the depth of that mischâ—ef chiefly plotted and intended 85. The weakness of these mens judgments must be made up by their clamours and activity 86. It is a great part of some mens Religion to scandalize their King and his thinking theirs cannot be true if they cry not down his as false 87. A King ights not against his own Religion who imployes Subjects of different perswasions to maintain it 88. Differences of perswasion in matters of Religion may easily fall out where there is the sameness of Duty Allegeance and Subjection 89. Different professions in point of Religion cannot take away the community of Relations either to Parents or to Princes 90. It is lawfull for a King in exigents to use the aid of any his Subjects of what perswasion soever 91. It were a very impertinent and unseasonable scruple in a King then to dispute the points of different beliefs in his Subjects when he is disputed with by swords points and when he needs the help of his Subjects as men no less than their prayers as Christians 92. The noise of a Kings evil Counsellers is a usefull device for those who are impatient any mens councels but their own should be followed in Church or State 93. Bold Subjects give counsels more like a drench that must be forced down than a draught which might be fairly and leisurely dranâ—â— if their King liked it 94. Moderate men are sorry to see their King prone to injure himself out of a zeal to relieve his Subjects 95. Truly humble Christians will so highly prize the reward of persecutions as rather not to be relieved than be revenged so as to be bereaved of that Crown of Christian patience which attends humble and injur'd sufferers 96. Men are not more prone to desire liberty than unapt to bear it in the popular sence which is to do what every man liketh best 97. The divinest liberty is to will what men should and to do what they so will according to Reason Lawes and Religion 98. Good men count the bounds of the Lawes their Ornament and Protection others their Manacles â—â— Oppression 99. It is not just that any man should expect the reward and benefit of the law who despiseth its rule and direction 100. He that seeks an unreasonable liberty justly loseth his safety The Fourth Century 1. THose men are the best preservers of their true liberty who allow themselves the least licentiousness against or beyond the Lawes 2. It is impossible chose men should be really tender of their fellow-subjects liberties who have the hardiness to use their King with severe restraints 3. A resolv'd King restrain'd by Subjects will rather perish thaâ— complain to those who want nothing to compleat their mirth and triumph but such musick 4. Conscientious tenderness attended with proud and arrogant activity seeks to hatch every egge of different opinion to a faction or schisme 5. Lawes and Scepters of Monarchs should not intrench on God's Soveraignty which is the only King of mens Consciences 6. God gives no men liberty to break the Law established further than with meekness and patience they are content to suffer the penalties annexed rather than perturb the publick peace 7. some men in the necessities of their fortunes distrust Gods providence as well as their own merits 8. Never were any Princes more glorious than those whom God hath suffer'd to be tried in the fornace of afflictions by their injurious Subjects 9. Some men speak against their King rather what they wish than what they believe or know 10. Rude and scandalous Pamphlets like fire in great conflagrations fly up and down to set all places on like flames 11. It is no wonder if men not fearing God should not honour their King 12. God hath graven such Characters of divine Authority and sacred Power upon Kings as none may without sin seek to blot them out 13. From God alone are all traditions of true Glory and Majesty that is in Kings 14. No news to have all Innovations ushered in with the name of Reformations in Church and State 15. The pride of those that study novelties can hardly allow any share or degree of wisdom or godliness to former times 16. For set and prescribed forms of publick prayer there is no doubt but that wholsome words being known and fitted to mens understandings are soonest received into their hearts and aptest to excite and carry along with them judicious and fervent affections 17. Constant forms of Prayers are not more likely to slat and hinder the Spirit of Prayer and Devotion than unpraemeditated and confused variety to distract and lose it 18. Slight and easie Legerdemain will serve to delude the Vulgar 19. No men are prone to be greater Tyrants and more rigorous exactors upon others to conform to their illegal novelties than such whose pride was formerly least disposed to the obedience of lawfull Constitutions and whose licentious humours most pretended Conscientious liberties 21. It is impossible for a Prince to preserve the State in quiet unless he hath such an influence upon Churchmen and they such a dependance on him as may best restrain the seditious exorbitancies of Ministers tongues who with the keyes of Heaven have so far the keyes of the Peoples hearts as they prevail much by the Oratory to let in or shut out both Peace and Loyalty 21. The want of Government is that which the Church can no more dispence with in point of well-being than the want of the Word and Sacrament in point of being 22. Scripture is the best rule and the Church's universal practise the best Commentary of Religion 23. No frame of Church-government is more agreable both to Reason and Religion than that which is Paternal not Magisterial 24. Faction and Confusion Emulations and Contempts are prone to arise among equals in power and function 25. Inconstancy is a great prejudice against Novelty 26. The stream of times and the prevalency of parties overpowreth the judgements of some men 27. Ministers may find as great a difference in point of thriving between the favour of the People and of Princes as Plants do between being watered
successes on either side impair the wellfare of the whole 79. Those Victories are still miserable that leave our sins nnsubdued flushing our pride and animating to continue injuries 80. Peace it self is not desirable til repentance have prepared us for it 81. When we fight more against our selves and less against God we shall cease fighting against one another 82. 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 83. The setling of Religion ought to be the first rule and standard of reforming 84. It is a great miscariage when popular clamours and fury are allowed the reputation of zeal and the publick sense 85. Freedome Moderation and Impartiality are the best tempers of reforming counsels and endeavours 86. What is acted by Factions cannot but offend more than please 87. Where the Scripture is not clear and punctual in precepts there the constant and universal practise of the Church in things not contrary to Reason Faith or Maners or any positive Command is the best Rule that Christians can follow 88. The Vulgar are taken with novelties as children with babies very much but not very long 89. If there were as much of Christ's Spirit for meekness wisdome and charity in mens hearts as there is of his Name used in the pretensions to reform all to Christs it would certainly obtain more of Gods blessing and produce more of Christs glory the Churches good the honour of Religion and the unity of Christians 90. Publick Reformers had need first act in private and practise that on their own hearts which they purpose to try on others 91. Deformities within will soon betray the Pretenders of publick Reformations to such private designs as must needs hinder the publick good 92. The right methods of reforming the Church cannot subsist with that of perturbing the civil State 93. Religion cannot be justly advanced by depressing Loyalty which is one of the chiefest ingredients and ornaments of true Religion for next to Fear God is Honour the King 94. Christ's Kingdom may be set up without pulling down the Kings and men will not in impartial times appear good Christians that approve not themselves good Subjects 95. As good ends cannot justifie evil means so nor will evil beginnings ever bring forth good conclusions unless God by a miracle of mercy create Light out of Darkness Order out of Confusions and Peace out of Passions 96. The greatest experiments of Virtue and Nobleness are discovered in the greatest advantages against an enemy and the greatest obligations are those which are put upon us by them from whom we could least have expected them 97. Bees will gather honey where the Spider sucks poyson 98. Subjects can hardly be happy if their King be miserable or enjoy their peace and liberties while he is oppressed 99. A King should not only with patience bear indignities but with charity forgive them 100. Subjects captivate their King that allow him not the liberty of his own thoughts and are unwilling he should follow the light of his own conscience The Fifth Century 1. IT is unreasonable for Subjects to expect the King should think their Counsâ—ls good for him who maintain a War against him 2. Prosperity gains the greatest esteem and applause among the Vulgar as adversity exposeth to their greatest slighting and disrespect 3. Good Fortune is not alwayes the shadow of Vertue and Justice but oftner attends vitious and injurious actions as to this world 4. No secular advantages seem sufficient to that Cause which begun with Tumults depends chiefly upon the reputation with the Vulgar 5. Rebels think no Victories so effectual to their designs as those that most rout and wast their Kings credit with his people 6. The taking away a Kings credit is but a necessary preparation to the taking away of his life and his kingdomes 7. It is an exquisite method of Rebels cunning and cruelâ—y To compel their King first to follow the funerals of his honour and then destroy him 8. Few mens 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 publick flattery and popular countenance 9. Chams curse of being servant of servants must needs be on them who seek by dishonourable actions to please the vulgar and confirm by ignoble acts their dependance upon the people 10. What Providence denies to Force it may grant to Prudence 11. When necessity is a King's Counsellor his confidence in a rebellious people may disarm and overcome them and the rendring his Person to them engage their affections to him 12. God must be a Kings chiefest Guard and his Conscience both his Counsellor and his Comforter 13. No necessities should compel a King to desert his â—â—â—â—ur or swerve from his judgâ—â—â—â— 14. An univâ—â—sal confidence put in dissembling Subjects may make them ashamed not to be really such as they ought and profess to be 15. So various are all humane affairs and so necessitous may the state of Princes be that their greatest danger may be in their supposed safety and their safety in their suposed danger 16. A King ought not in rebellious times to be less solicitous for his friends safety than his own and he may chuse to venture himself upon further hazards rather than expose their resolute loyalty to all extremity 17. It is some skil in play to know when a game is lost better fairly to give over than to contest in vain 18. A King that casts himself upon the kindness of Subjects that have fought against him must study to reinforce his judgment and fortifie his mind with Reason and Religion that he may not seem to offer up his souls liberty or make his Conscience their Captive 19. No success should darken or disguise truth to a King who in the greatest necessity should no less conform his words unto his inward dictates than if they had been as the words of a King ought to be among Loyal Subjects full of power 20. Reason is the divinest power A King should never think himself weakned while he may make full and free use of that 21. No Eclipse of outward fortune should rob a King of the light of Reason 22. What God denies of outward strength to a distressed King his grace may supply with inward resolutions not morosity to deny what is fit to be granted but not to grant any thing which Reason and Religion bids him deny 23. A King should never think himself less thâ—n himself while he is able to preserve the integrity of his Conscience when the only jewel left him worth keeping 24. When Kings are deceiv'd in their confidence it is but an essay which God will have them make of man's uncertainty the more to fix them on himself who never faileth them that trust in him 25. Though the Reeds
God and the Church have especially designed and consecrated some men 65. Confusion in Religion will as certainly follow every man's turning Priest or Preacher as it will in the State where every man affects to rule as King 66. A King may bear with more grief and impatience the want of his Chaplains than of any other his servants and next if not beyond in some things to the being sequestred from his Wife and Children since from these indeed more of humane and temporary affections but from those more of heavenly and eternal improvements may be expected 67. In the inforced not neglected want of ordinary means God is wont to afford extraordinary supplies of his gifts and graces 68. A King that in solitude has Gods Spirit to teach him and help his infirmities in prayer reading and meditation will need no other either Oratour or Instructer 69. Some little practise wil serve that man who only seeks to represent a part of honesty and honour 70. A King cannot be so low but He is considerable adding weight to that Party where he appears 71. When the excentrique and irregular motion of the Times cannot well be resisted nor quieted Better swim down such a stream than in vain to strive against it 72. Impossible it is for lines to be drawn from the center and not to divide from each other so much the wider by how much they go farther from the point of union 73. Professed Patrons for the Peoples Liberties cannot be utterly against the Liberty of their King what they demand for their own Conscience they cannot in reason deny to his 74. Novel Injunctions cannot well be stamped with the authority of Lawes without the Kings consent 75. Men are hardly content with one sin but adde sin to sin til the later punish the former 76. Power is above all Rule Order and Law where men look more to present Advantages than their Consciences and the unchangeable rules of Justice while they are Judges of others they are forced to condemn themselves 77. Vengeance oft pursues and overtakes them that thought to have escaped and fortified themselves most impregnably against it both by their multitude and compliance 78. Whom the Lawes cannot God will punish by their own crimes and hands 79. Fatal blindness frequently attends and punisheth wilfullness so that men shall not be able at least to prevent their sorrowes who would not timely repent of their sins nor shall they be suffered to enjoy the comforts who securely neglect the counsels belonging to their peace 80. Brethren in Iniquity are not far from becoming insolent enemies there being nothing harder than to keep ill men long in one mind 81. It is not possible to gain a â—air period for those motions which go rather in a round and circle of fancy than in a right line of reason tending to the Law the only center of publick consistency 82. Men are much more happy when subject to known Lawes than to the various wills of any men seem they never so plausible at first 83. Vulgar compliance with any illegal and extravagant wayes like violent motions in nature soon growes weary of it self and ends in a refractory fullenness 84. Peoples rebounds are oft in their faces who first put them upon those violent strokes 85. A King may so far esteem the valour and gallantry some time shewed by an Army which hath fought against him as to concur toward a just satisfying their demands of pay and indemnity and to wish he may never want such men to maintain himself his Lawes and Kingdome in such a peace as wherein they may enjoy their share and proportion so much as any men 86. It is some kind of deceiving and lessening the injury of a Kings long restraint when he finds his leisure and solitude have produced something worthy of himself and usefull to his Successour 87. In Civil Warres a Kings cause is not to be measured by the success nor his judgment of things by his misfortunes 88. It is an advantage of wisdom to a young Prince to have begun spent some years of discretion in the experience of troubles and exercise of patience 89. In troubles Piety and all Virtues both Moral and Political are commonly better planted to a thriving as Trees set in winter than in the warmth and serenity of times 90. The delights which usually attend Princes Courts in time of Peace and Plenty are prone either to root up all Plants of true Virtue and Honor or to be contented only with some leaves and withering formalities of them 91. Princes should alwayes remember they are born and by Providence designed to the publick good 92. Flatteries are as unseparable from prosperous Princes as Flies ate from fruit in Summer whom adversity like cold weather drives away 93. Charles le Bon a more glorious name for a Prince than le Grand Better for him and his people he be good than great 94. The early exercise of Gods graces and gifts bestowed upon Princes may best weed out all vicious inclinations and dispose them to such Princely endowments and imployments which will most gain the love and intend the welfare of those over whom God may place them 95. A Prince ought to begin and end with God who is King of Kings the Soveraign disposer of the Kingdomes of the World 96. The best Government and highest Soveraignty a Prince can attain to is to be subject to God that the Scepter of his Word and Spirit may rule in his heart 97. The true glory of Princes consists in advancing Gods Glory in the maintenance of true Religion and the Church's good Also in the dispensation of civil Power with Justice and Honour to the publick Peace 98. Piety will make a Prince prosperous at least it will keep him from being miserable 99. He is not much a loser that loseth all yet saveth his own soul at last 100. A Kings affliction is Gods Physick having that in healthfulness which it wants in pleasure The Sixth Century 1. A Prince at mature age ought if satisfied in his own Judgment and Reason seal to that sacred bond which education hath written that it may be judiciously his own Religion and not other mens custom or tradition which he professeth 2. A Princes fixation in matters of Religion is not more necessary for his souls than his Kingdoms peace 3. The Devil of Rebellion doth commonly turn himself into an Angel of Reformation and the old Serpent can pretent new lights 4. When some mens Consciences accuse them for sedition and faction they stop its mouth with the name and noise of Religion When Piety pleads for peace and patience they cry out zeal 5. Unless a King in point of Religion be well setled he shall never want temptations to destroy him and his under pretensions of Reforming 6. Reforming matters of Religion seems even to the worst men as the best and most auspicious beginning of their worst desfgns 7. Some Reformers of Religion hope
some reparations for their former defects 41. As the quality of a King sets him beyond a Duel with any Subject so the Nobleness of his mind must raise him above the meditating any revenge or executing his anger upon the many 42. The more conscious a King shall be to his own merits upon his people the more prone he will be to expect all love and loyalty from them and to inflict no punishment upon them for former miscariages 43. An injur'd King will have more inward complacency in pardoning one than in punishing a thousand 44. We cannot merit of God but by his own mercy 45. Counterfeit and disorderly zeal ought not to abate a King's value and esteem of true piety both of them are to be known by their fruits 46. The sweetness of the Vine and Figtree is not to be despised though the Brambles and Thornes should pretend to bear Figs and Grapes thereby to rule over the Trees 47. The publick interest consists in the mutual and common good both of Prince and People 48. We must not sterve our selves because some men have surfeited of wholsom food 49. God sometimes punisheth Rebellious Subjects with continuance in their sin and suffers them to be deluded with the prosperity of their wickedness 53. Gods grace may teach and enable an injur'd King to want as well as to wear a Crown which is not worth taking up or enjoying upon sordid dishonourable and irreligious termes 51. Let a King keep himself to true principles of piety vertue and honour He shall never want a Kingdom 52. It is a principal point of honour in a yong King to deferre all respect love and pretection to the Queen Dowager his mother especially if with magnanimity and patience she hath sufferr'd for and with his Royal Father and himself 53. A Captive King in the midst of Rebellious Subjects may be wrapt up and fortified in his own innocency and God's grace 54. The bloud of a King destroy'd by Rebels will cry aloud for vengeance to Heaven and they who shed it will have inward horrour for their first Tormenter and not escape exemplary judgments 55. They that repent of any defects in their duty toward the Royal Father may be found truly zealous to repay with interest the loyalty and love which was due to him unto their King his son 56. The mask of Religion on the face of Rebellion will not long serve to hide the men's deformities that use it 57. Mislead Subjects may learn by their miseries That Religion to their God and Loyalty to their King cannot be parted without both their sin and their infelicity 58. God may honour a King not only with the Scepter and government of Realms but also with the suffering many indignities and an untimely death for them while he studies to preserve the rights of the Church the power of his Lawes the honour of his Crown the priviledges of Parliaments the liberties of his People and his own Conscience which is dearer to him than a thousand Kingdoms 59. A Captive King hath as much cause as leisure to meditate upon and prepare for his death there being but few steps between the Prisons and Graves of Princes 60. It is Gods indulgence which gives him the space but mans cruelty that gives him the sad occasions for those thoughts 61. A King in the hands of Rebels besides the common burthen of mortality which lies upon him as a man bears the heavy load of other mens ambitions fears jealousies and cruel passions whose envy or enmity against him makes their own lives seem deadly to them while he enjoyes any part of his 62. A Kings prosperity should not make him a stranger to the contemplations of mortality 63. The thoughts of death are never unseasonable since prosperity alwayes is uncertain 64. Death is an Eclipse which oft hapneth as well in clear as clowdy dayes 65. A King by long and sharp adversity may have so reconciled within himself those natural Antipathies between Life and Death which are in all men that the common terrours of the later may be dispelled and the special horrour of it much allayed 66. A King to whom a violent death approaching is represented by the policy of cruel and implacable enemies with all terrible aggravations may look upon those things as unpoysonous though sharp since his Redeemer hath either pulled them out or given him the antidote of his death against them which as to the immaturity unjustice shame scorn and cruelty of it exceeded whatever a threatned King can fear 67. A pious King never finds so much the life of Religion the feast of a good Conscience and the brazen wall of a judicious integrity and constancy as when he comes to a close conflict with the thoughts of Death 68. Though a King be not so old as to be weary of life it is happy for him if he be not so bad as to be either afraid to dye or asham'd to live 69. It is the greatest glory of a Christians life to dye dayly in conquering by a lively faith and patient hope of a better life those partial and quotidian deaths which kill by piece-meals and make men over-live their own fates while we are deprived of health honour liberty power credit safety or estate and those other comforts of dearest relations which are as the life of our lives 70. A King lives in nothing temporal so much as in the love and good will of his people 71. A King should not think that life too long or tedious wherein God gives him any opportunities if not to do yet to suffer with such Christian patience and magnanimity in a good cause as are the greatest honour of his life and the best improvement of his death 72. In point of true Christian valour it argues pusillanimity to desire to dye out of weariness of life and a want of that heroike greatness of spirit which becomes a Christian in the patient and generous sustaining those afflictions which as shadowes necessarily attend us while we are in this body and which are less'ned or enlarged as the Sun of our prosperity moves higher or lower whose total absence is best recompensed with the Dew of Heaven 73. The assaults of affliction may be terrible like Sampson's Lyon but they yield much sweetness to those that dare encounter and overcome them who know how to over-live the witherings of their Gourds without discontent or peevishness while they may yet converse with God 74. The life of a pious King is the Object of the Devils and wicked mens malice but yet under God's sole custody and disposal 75. We must not by seeming prepared to dye think to flatter God for longer life 76. Triumphing Enemies who are solemnely cruel adde as those did who crucified Christ the mockery of justice to the cruelty of malice 77. That a King may be destroyed as with greater pomp and artifice so with less pity it is but a necessary policy to make his death appear
Pilate 9. They who themselves seem and teach others to despair of their King's Salvation only discover this that they do not much desire it 10. Uncharitable and cruel Restraints of a King from spiritual assistance of Chaplains may rather enlarge than any way obstruct his access to the Throne of Heaven 11. When large pretenses prove but the shadows of weak performances then the greatest labours produce the smallest effects 12. When a period is put to a work of great concernment all mens ears do as it were hunger till they are satisfied in their expectations 13. No grants give satisfaction to them that pursue their own ambitious ends more than the welfare of a miserable Land 14. It is an unutterable misery for him that hath ruled like a King to be ruled like a Slave 15. A King knowes not what to grant when after his concessions to Subjects that have required all they know not what to ask 16. They who pretend zeal when their thoughts are filled with bloud are but Wolves in Sheeps clothing 17. Rebels that endeavour to rule by the Sword shall at last fall by it for Faction is the Mother of Ruine 18. They that are of such a Weather-cock-like disposition love nothing but mutabilities 19. Much variety doth confound the senses and makes them still hate one folly and fall in love with another 20. Time is the best cure for Faction for it will at length like a spreading leprosie infect the whole body of the Kingdom and make it so odious that at last they will hate themselves for love of that and like a fish for love of the bait be catch'd with the hook 21. It is not expedient for an Army to contradict the votes of a Kingdom endeavouâ—ing by pretending for Lawes and Liberties to subvert both 22. The time will come when the very Clouds shall drop down vengeance upon the heads of those that barrocado themselves against the proceedings of peace 23. A resolute King in captivity is arm'd against the fury of Rebellious Subjects having a breast to receive the arrowes of their envy and a heart possest with patience to sustain them 24. To God nothing is so great that it may resist nor so small that it is contemned 25. A King may rather desire his faults should be corrected by the hand of God than that his ununjust enemies should be the Ministers of God's justice 26. Let Calamity be the exercise but not the overthrow of a Kings Virtue 27. The permitting a wrong way of God's worship to be set up to the injury of the right before establish'd and practis'd will bring shame and grief to a King by his own confession that he therein followed the perswasions of Worldly wisdom forsaking the Dictates of a right informed Conscience 28. They who have been false to their King to those that gave them power and in likelihood to their own souls may be forgiven by him but never trusted 29. It is an humor becoming an impartial King to be still partial for that side which he imagines suffer for the weakness of those that maintain it 30. A King should suffer a Divine who would rectifie his supposed errour no less than a Physician to take his own way of cuâ—e 31. As to the profession of Religion the King is happy who condemns not himself in that thing which he allowes 32. He that changeth for the better ought to be sure it be better before he change 33. Inconstancy in Religion without cause and colour is both sin and shame 34. There is much difference between permission and approbation 35. If the practise of the Primitive Church and the universal consent of the Fathers be not a convincing argument when the interpretation of the Scripture is douâ—â—full nothing is 36. The Interpretation of private Spirits is the Mother of all sects and will bring where permitted Kingdoms to confusion 37. Another mans will is as weak a ground for a King to build his faith on as his own education 38. When a General Counceâ— cannot be had several Kingdomes may reform themselves 39. Rebels never wanted Wrâ—ters to maintain their unjust actions 40. All popular Reformation is little better than Rebellion 41. No Authority is lawfull but that which is either directly given or at least approved by God 42. The Church having any Discipline not conformed to the Civil Policy can neither flourisâ— nor be happy 43. Church-Ambition doth not at all terminate in seeking to be Pope it being no point of humility to endeavour to be independent of Kings 44. Papacy in a multitude may be as dangerous as in one 45. Many things may be avowable upon necessity which otherwayes are unlawfull 46. In points not fit to be discussed instances as well as comparisons are odious 47. Reason epitomised weighs as much with wise men as at large 48. One may lean on anothers arm who leans more on his judgment 49. The soundness of Religion is not to be tried by dint of Sword nor must we judg of her Truths by the prosperity of events 50. When men sit down to discourse or argue Reason should take her seat with them and though she be no Judg have her place if not above their Faith in their arguments 51. The envious mans seeds are tares although the husbandman knowes not when they were sown 52. The child is not to be pour tractured greater than the Nurse nor the Bishops power made to outreach the King 's who is the Nursing Father of the Church 53. Unity may consist in this when many sheaves lye in one mans field that belong to him or be caried into his barn though they be not bundled up in a rick with one cock-sheave above the rest 54. A sum divided into several parcels is not broke while the owner hath all in his possession 55. Whilst Arguments do multiply Time lessens 56. The seed of the Word wherein is Gods holy Spirit being sowen in the heart inlivened by the heat of Faith and watered with the tears of Repentance soon fructifies without any further circumstance 57. It is no strange thing to see Errour triumph in Antiquity and flourish fair Ensigns in the face of Truth 58. It will do no good to keep possession of the keyes when the lock is changed 59. Though the Catholick Church is the white in that Butt of earth at which we all must aim yet the Scripture is the heart centre or peg in the midst of that white that holds it up from whence we must measure 60. That which must determine Truth must not be fallible 61. When a King fears affairs of Councel will meet with sâ—me passion and prejudice in other men it is best for him to resolve they shall find least of them in himself 62. Mens well-meaning â—eal must be guided by such rules of moderation as are best both to preserve and restore the health of States and Kingdoms 63. A King should intend not only to oblige his friends but his enemies also
to their injur'd King or his Posterity as may fully compensate both the acts of his confidence in and his sufferings for them 93. It is the injury of all injuries wherewith some malicious people load their King while they calumniate him as a wilfull and resolved occasioner of his own and his Subjects miseries 94. A King ought not to repine at an establishment of his own making nor endeavour by force and open hostility to undo what by his Royal assent he hath done 95. A King may have a sense of injuries from his Subjects yet not such as to think them worth vindicating by a War 96. A King is compelled â—â— injure himâ—elf by his Subjects not using favours with the same candor wherewith they were conferred 97. Tumults are prone to threaten to abuse all Acts of grace and turn them into wantonness 98. Their own fears whose black arts raise up turbulent Spiritâ— may force them to conjure them down again 99. Though a King have iustly resented any indignities put upon him he may be in no capacity to take just revenge in a hostile and warlike way upon those whom he knowes to be well fortified in the love of the meaner sort of the people 100. A King should long for nothing more than that himself and his Subjects may quietly enjoy the fruâ—ts of his own condescendings The eighth Century 1. A King that knowes well the sincerity and uprightness of his own heart in passing from himself what may exceed the very thoughts of former times although he seem less a Politician to men yet may need no secret distinctions or evasions before God 2. Though a King may be content to recede much from his own interests and Personal rights of which he conceives himself to be Master yet in what concerns Truth Justice the Rights of the Church and his Crown together with the general good of his Kindoms all which he is bound to preserve as much as morally lies in him here he ought to be fixt and resolute 3. A King by no necessity should be brought to affirm that to men which in his conscience he denied before God 4. For Protestants to force their Queen because of the Romane Religion to withdraw for her safety as it will be little to the adorâ—ing of their profession so it may occasion a further alienation of mind and divorce of affections in her from it 5. An Afflicted King can give no better instance of a steady affection unto his Queen than by professing himself content to be tossed weather-beaten and shipwrackt so as she may be safe in Harbour 6. The policy of Rebels finds it sometimes necessary to their designs by scandalous articles and all irreverent demeanour to seek to drive their Queen out of the Kingdom lest by the influence of her example eminent for love as a wife and loyalty as a subject she should convert to or retein in their love and loyalty to their King all those whom they have a purpose to pervert 7. Some acts there are of so rude disloyalty that a King 's greatest enemies have scarce confidence enough to abet or own 8. Rebels that design the destruction of their King will first make overt essayes by possessing themselves of Towns how patiently he can bear the loss of his Kingdoms 9. A good King so injur'd will be more affected with shame and sorrow for others then with anger for himself nor will the affront done to him trouble him so much as their sin which admits no colour or excuse 10. They who have effrontery enough ro commit or countenance will hardly contein themselves within the compass of one unworthy act but the hand of that cloud will soon overspread the whole Kingdom and cast all into disorder and darkness 11. One act of publick Rebellion may give a wise King to see clearly through all the pious disguises and soft palliations of some men whose words though smoother than oyl will prove very swords 12. Against the Swords point is the defence of a good Conscience 13. Were it not that the excess of our impotent passions gave our enemies malice a full impression on our souls it could not reach very far nor do us much hurt 14. It is observable how God sometimes so pleades and avengeth the cause of an injur'd King in the eye of the world that the most willfully blind cannot avoid the displeasure to see it and with some remorse and fear to own it as a mutable stroke and prediction of divine vengeance 15. It hath been known that a leading Rebel unreproached unthreatned uncursed by any language or secret imprecation of the King only blasted with the conscience of his own wickedness and falling from one inconstancy to another noâ— long after has paid his own and his eldest sons heads as forfeitures of their disloyalty to those men from whom he might have expected another reward than so to divide their heads from their bodies whose hearts with them were divided from their King 16. A solitary vengeance will noâ— alwayes serve the turn The cutting off one head in a family is not enough to expiate the asfront done to the head of a Common weal. 17. The eldest son has been known to be involued in the punishment as he was infected with the sin of the Father against the Father of his Country Root and Branch God cuts off in one day 18. A King ought not to rejoyce in the ruine of any eminent Rebel though it were such as could give the greatest thirst for revenge a full draught as if executed by them who first employed him against his Soveraign but rather pity him especially if he thinks he acted against the light of his Conscience 19. Signal Rebels are not allwayes suffer'd to accomplish their repentance when they begin to have inclinations toward it and a reparation of their duty but fall unhapâ—ily sometimes into the hands of their Justice who first imployed them and not the Mercy of the King they have offended 20. It is no fault in a King to be as willing to forgive a Rebel as he can ask favour of him 21. That Gentleman is to be pitied even by the King he has offended that becomes a notable monument of unprosperous disloyalty a sad and unfortunate spectacle to the World 22. A King should love the inward peace of his Conscience before any outward tranquillity 23. Some miscariages in Government may escape rather through ill Counsel of some men driving on their private ends or the peevishness of others envying the publick should be managed without them or the hidden and insuperable necessities of State than any propensity of the King himself either to injuriousness or oppression 24. Those Rebels must have more confidence in their Cannon then in their Gause whom their King can freely ask whose innocent bloud during my Reign have I shed to satisfie my lust anger or covetousness What Widows or Orphans tears can witness against me the just cry of which must now be
King should be very foolish indeed and unfaithfull in his trust to put the reigns of both Reason and Government wholly out of his own into their hands whose driving is too much like Jehu's and whose forwardness to ascend the throne of Supremacy pretends more of Phaethon than of Phoebus 56. If Subjects will take the liberty of sending Propositions unto their Soveraign they ought to be such as these 1. That any good Lawes antiquated by the course of times or overlay'd by the corruption of maners may be restored to their vigour and due execution 2. That any evil customes praeter-legal and abuses personal may be removed 3. That if any injuries have been done by the King and others to the Commonweal they may be repaired 4. Such equable offertures should be tendred to him wherein the advantages of his Crown being considered by them he may fairly be induced to condescend to what tends to his Subjects good without any great diminution of himself 5. Such moderate desires of due Reformation of what is indeed amiss in Church and State as may still preserve the foundation and essentials of Government in both not shake and quite overthrow either of them without any regard to the Lawes in force the wisdom and piety of their Ancestors the ancient and universal practice of Christian Churches the rights and priviledges of particular men 6. Some considerable thing should be offered in lieu or in the room of what they would have destroyed which may at once reach the good end of the others institution and also supply its pretended defects reformits abuses and satisfie sober and wise men not with soft and specious words pretending zeal and special piety but with pregnant and solid reasons both divine and humane which may justifie the abruptness and necessity of vast alterations 57. A King cannot be well counsell'd by his Parliament if in the Members of it there be not so much Learning Reason Religion and just Moderation as to know how to sever betweem the use and the abuse of things the institution and the corruption the government and the misgovernment the Primitive Patterns and the alterations or blottings of after-Copies 58. Though Armies of Souldiers may prevail against a King's Person yet Armies of unreasonable Propositions which they would enforce should never overcome him further than he sees cause it behoving him not to look at their number and power so much as to weigh their reason and justicâ— 59. It is hard at first either to discern the rise or apply the remedy to a precipitant Rebellion 60. In Civil Wars and Massacres the Sea of bloud cruelly and barbarously shed is enough to drown any man in eteâ—nal both infamy and misery whom God finds the malicious Authour or Instigatour of its effusion 61. It is a most unhappy advantage to some mens malice against their King that when they bave impudence enough to lay any thing to his charge any bloudy opportunity should be offer'd them with which he must be aspersed although nothing can be more abhorred to him than what is full of sin against God disloyalty to himself and destructive to his Subjects 62. The blame of bloudy and Rebellious Protestants must needs he greater than that of Papists by how much their Principles are more for obedience to Princes 63. The goodness of mens intentions will not excuse the scandal and contagion of their Examples 64. The King's interest ties as much in the common welfare of his Subjects as some mens doth in their perturbations 65. Although a King can with Truth wash his hands in Innocency as to any guilt in a Commotion objected to him yet he should wash them in his Tears at the sad apprehensions he ought to have to see it spread so far and make such waste 66. Distractions and Jealousies at home make most men who are better Politicians than Christians rather intent to their own safety or to the designs they are driving than to the relief of their fellow Subjects abroad though every day inhumanly butchered and massacred whose tears and bloud might if nothing else quench or at least for a time repress and smother any sparks of Civil dissensions and jealousies which some men industriously scatter in the Kingdom where they are 67. They who themselves have rebellious intentions or inclinations are unwilling to part with their King upon any hazardous expedition though to the suppressing that force which opposeth their interest being either afraid he should have any one Kingdom quieted or being loth to shoot at any mark less than him or that any should have the glory of his destruction but themselves 68. Next to the sin of those who begin a Rebellion theirs must needs be who either hinder the speedy suppressing of it by Domestick dissentions or divert the Aids or exasperate the Rebbels to the most desperate resolutions and actions by threatning all extremities not only to the known heads and chief Incendiaries but even to the whole community of a Nation Resolving to destroy root and branch men women and children without any regard to those usual pleas for mercy which Conquerours not wholly barbarous are wont to hear from their own breasts in behalf of those whose opressive faces rather than their malice engaged them or whose imbecillity for sex and age was such as they could neither lift up a â—and against them nor distinguish between their right hand and their left 69. Preposterous and unevangelical was that zeal of the rebuked Disciples who would go no lower in their revenge than to call for fire from Heaven upon whole Cities for the repulse or neglect of a few As was that of Jacobs sons whom the Father both blamed and cursed for it And so is theirs who are for utter extirpation of all and more than all that have opposed them that will extinguish a Nation for the misdemeanours and injuries of a provoked and incensed Party 70. Even in the case of Rebellion moderate remedies are rather to be applied than extreme severity such as may punish some with exemplary justice yet disarm others with tenders of mercy upon their submission and the King's protection of them from furious and factious persons though met in Parliament who would soon drown them if they refused to swim down the popular stream with them 71. A King hath enough to do to look to his own conscience and the faithfull discharge of his Trust He has no leisure to make prolix Apologies against injurious calumnies and reproaches 72. A King that can hear with patience as bad as his worst enemies can falsly say may hope still to do better than they deserve or desire he should 73. By great effusions of Subjects bloud in Civil Wars no man is so much weakened as their King 74. Which King may hope though mens unsatiable cruelty never will yet the mercy of God will at length say to his justice It is enough 75. When God's mercifull justice intends not the utter confusion but the cure
infinitely more to be chosen by a sober man that duly values his duty his soul and eternity beyond the enjoyments of this present life than the most triumphant glory wherein their and their Kings Enemies supervive who can hardly avoid to be daily tormented by that horrid guilt wherewith their suspicious or convicted Consciences do pursue them 59. In the safety and preservation of a King and good Lawes established all honest men cannot but think the wellfare of their Country to consist 60. Not any shews or truth of piety on their side who take armes against their King are sufficient to dispense with or expiate the defects of their Duty and Loyalty to Him which have so pregnant convictions on mens Consciences that even profaner men are moved by the sense of them to venter their lives for Him 61. When Providence gives a good King or denies Him Victory his desire should be neither to boast of his power nor to charge God foolishly but to believe that at last he will make all things to work together for his good 62. A King 's often messages for Peace with his Subjects will shew that he delighteth not in War as his gracious Concessions will sufficiently testifie how willingly he would have prevented it and his total unpreparedness for it how little he intended it 63. When King and Subjects are once engaged in a Civil War it may be too late to review the occasions thereof but not to wish a happy conclusion of so unhapy beginnings nor to believe that the inevitable fate of their sins was such as would no longer suffer the divine justice to be quiet 64. A King is not to desire that any man should be further subject to Him than He and all his People may be subject to God 65. The Passions and Opinions of men are not to be gratified with partiality and popular compliance to the detriment of the Publick and scandal of Religion 66. It is a sad spectacle for all sober men and their Soveraign to behold the dissolutions of all Order and Government in a Church many novelties and schisms and corrupt opinions many undecencies and confusions in sacred administrations all sacrilegious invasions upon the Rights and Revenues of a Church much contempt and oppression of the Clergy many injurious diminutions and persecutings of the King to follow as showers do warm gleams the talk of Reformation which yet has been a known artifice to disguise some mens effecting all the fore-mentioned mischief who have pretended authority and been possessed of power to accomplish it 67. The studies to please some parties whose fury is accompted zeal may injure all 68. A King may offer to put all differences in Church-affairs and Religion to the free Consultation of a Synod or Convocation rightly chosen the results of whose counsels as they will include the votes of all so it s like they may give most satisfaction to all 69. An Assembly of Divines applied though by a Parliament in an unwonted way to advise of Church-affairs being not legally convened and chosen not acting in the name of all the Clergy of a Kingdom not doing any thing with freedom and impartiality being limited and confined if not overaw'd to do and declare what they do is to be so far disliked nor can it be accounted the Representative of a Church 70. Many men cried up for learning and piety met together in an Assembly being not left to the liberty of their own suffrages have been prevail'd upon by the influence of contrary factions who made secret encroachments of hopes and fears to comply with great and dangerous Innovations in the Church without any regard to their own former judgment and practise or to the common interest and honour of the Clergy and in them of Order Learning and Religion against examples of all Ancient Churches the Lawes in force and their Soveraign's consent 71. A King's consent ought never to be gained in any point against a pregnant light that shines in his understanding 72. A due Reformation will easily follow moderate Counsels and give content even to many Divines who have been led on with much gravity and formality to carry on other mens designs which they may discover though they dare not but smother their frustrations and discontents 73. The specious and popular Titles of Christ's Government Throne Scepter and Kingdom also the noise of a through Reformation may as easily be fined on new models as fair colours may be put to ill-favoured Figures 74. Christ's Kingdom certainly is not divided nor hath two faces as some Reforming parties have had at least 75. The breaking of Church-windows which Time had sufficiently defaced 2. The putting down of Crosses which were but Civil not Religious marks 3. The defacing of Monuments and Inscriptions of the dead which served but to put posterity in mind to thank God for that clearer light wherein they live 4. The leaving of Ministers to their liberties and private abilities in the publick service of God where no Christian can tell to what he may say Amen nor what adventure he may make of seeming at least to consent to the Errours Blasphemies and ridiculous Undecencies which bold and ignorant men list to vent in their prayers preaching and other Offices 5. The setting forth of old Catechisms and Confessions of Faith new-drest importing as much as if there had been no sound or clear doctrine of faith in the Church before a long consultation had matured their thoughts touching the first Principles of Religion All these and the like are the effects of poular specious and deceitfull Reformations 76. It were to be wished that some most pretending Reformers had made it their unanimous work to do God's work and not their own they had not as now they have left all things more deformed than when they began in point of Piety Morality Charity and good Order 77. They who think that the Government of a Church and State fixed by many Lawes and long Customs will not run into their new molds endeavour to melt it first in the fire of a Civil War by the advantages of which they resolve if they prevail to make their King and all his Subjects fall down and worship the Images they shall form and set up 78. Christ's Government will confirm the King's not overthrow it if as He owns his from Christ so He desires to rule for his glory and his Churches good 79. Had some men truly intended Christ's Government or known what is meant in their hearts they could never have been so ill governed in their words and actions both against their King and one another 80. The freedom and secresie of a King 's private letters especially unto his Queen commands a civility from all men nor is there any thing more inhumane than to expose them if taken to publick view 81. The King that studies to approve his heart to God's omniscience may be content if Providence will have it so that even his private
and for their fidelity may have cause to love 7. As a King never needs so He should never desire more the service and assistance of Clergy-men judiciously pious and soberly devout than when by misfortune sequesterd from civil comforts and secular attendants 8. A distressed King cannot think some Divines though He respects them for that worth and piety which may be in them proper to be his present Comforters and Physicions who have had a great influence in occasioning the publick calamities in his Kingdoms and inflicting the wounds He hath upon Himself 9. The spirits of those Divines whose judgments stand at a distance from their King or in jealousie of Him or in opposition against Him cannot so harmoniously accord with his or his with theirs either in Prayer or other holy duties as is meet and most comfortable whose golden rule and bond of perfection consists in that of mutual Love and Charity 10. The King who is much a friend to all Church-men that have any thing in them beseeming that sacred function will if there be cause hazard his own interest upon Conscience and Constancy to maintain their Rights 11. Such Clergy-men who so unhandsomely requite their King as to desert Him in his calamity when their Loyalty and Constancy is most required may live to repent no less for his sufferings than their own ungratefull errours and that injurious contempt and meanness which they bring upon their calling and persons 12. An afflicted King though he pities all Clergy-men that desert Him and despiseth none of a different opinion from his yet sure He may take leave to make choise of some for his special Attendants who are best approved in his judgment and most sutable to his affection 13. A King imprisoned by his Subjects to whom they will not permit the attendance of his Chaplains can make no more charitable construction of their denial than that they esteem Him sufficient Himself to discharge his duty to God as a Priest though not to Men as a Prince 14. I think both Offices Regal and Sacerdotal might well become the same Person as anciently they were under one name and the united rights of primogeniture 15. A King cannot follow better presidents if He be able than those two eminent David and Solemon not more famous for their Scepter and Crowns than one was for devout Psalms and Prayers the other for his divine Parables and Preaching whence the one merited and assumed the name of a Prophet the other a Preacher Titles of greater honour where rightly placed than any of those the Roman Emperours affected from the Nations they subdued But 16. Since the order of God's Wisdome and Providence hath for the most part alwayes distinguished the gifts and offices of Kings and Priests of Princes and Preachers both in the Jewish and Christian Churches an imprisoned King may be sorry to find Himself reduced to the necessity of being both or injoying neither 17. As a Soveraign owes his Clergy the protection of a Christian King so He should desire to enjoy from them the benefit of their gifts and prayers 18. However as the spiritual Government by which the devout Soul 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 Royal Priesthood yet he is not thereby constituted Priest or Preacher as to the outward polity of the Church 19. A King's consciousness to his spiritual defects may make him more prize and desire those pious assistances which especially in any his exigencies holy and good Ministers either Bishops or Presbyters may afford him 20. The King is reduced to great extremities to whom by God's pleasure and permission to his Subjects nothing is left but his life for them to take from Him and nothing more to desire of them which might little seem to provoke their jealousies and offence to deny Him as some have done than this of having some means afforded Him for his souls comfort and support 21. When a King reduced to extremity by his Subjects makes choice of Chaplains to assist Him that are men no way scandalous and every way eminent for their learning and piety no less than for their Loyalty no exceptions imaginable can be made against them but only this That they may seem too able and too well affected toward him and his service 22. A King should count his misfortunes the greater by far when they light also upon the young Prince his son and any others whom he may have cause to love so well as Himself and of whose unmerited sufferings He should have a greater sense than of his own 23. The different education of Princes hath different success when they come to exercise their Government the evidence of which 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 unparallel'd prosperity of Solomon's Court and so by flatteries corrupted to the great diminution both of Peace Honour and Kingdom 24. A distressed King may trust that God will graciously direct all the black lines of Affliction which he pleaseth to draw on him to the Centre of true happiness if by them he be drawn neerer of God 25. When a yong Prince shall attain the Crown whereof his Father was injuriously devested He ought first to do justice to God his own Soul and his Church in the profession and prosecution both of truth and unity in Religion the next main hinge on which his prosperity will depend and move being that of Civil Justice He is to administer to his People 26. When a good King is persecuted by his own Subjects for the preservation of a right Religion and just Lawes established he may without vanity turn the reproach of his Sufferings as to the World's censure into the honour of a kind of Martyrdome as to the testimony of his own Conscience 27. Since a distressed King knowes not how God will deal with Him as to a removal of the pressures and indignities which his justice even by the very unjust hands of some of his own Subjects may have been pleased to lay upon Him He should not be much solicitous what wrong He suffers from man while He retains in his soul what He believes is right before God 28. In civil dissentions between King and Subjects though He offer all for Reformation and safely that in Reason Honour and Conscience He can yet he must reserve whatsoever He cannot consent unto without an irreparable injury to his own Soul the Chruch and his People and the next undoubted Heir of his Kingdoms 29. No difficulties are insuperable to divine Providence 30. When a yong Prince after his Fathers decease comes to the government of Kingdoms which Tumults and Civil Wars had put into disorder He ought seriously to consider the former real or objected miscariages which might occasion his troubles that so he
undeceive his people and to draw to Him the Nobility and Gentry of his Kingdom 83. When a great sedition is raised in one Kingdom the King may not imprudently resolve at adventure to put Himself freely and cleerly on the love and affections of his Subjects in any other the honour and safety whereof lies nearly at the Stake 84. In Rebellious or Seditious times the King may justly expect support from the Loyal part of his Subjects till the common safety be secured 85. When People of one Kingdom invade their King in his other two things are chiefly considerable by his Great Councel for the safety and security thereof 1. The chasing out the Rebels 2. His satisfying the just grievances of those that adhere unto Him wherein He should promise to concur heartily and clearly with them that all the World may see his intentions have ever been and will be to make that a glorious and flourishing Kingdom 86. The dishonour and mischief must needs be great if for want of mony a King's Army be disbanded before the Rebels be put out of his Kingdom they invaded 87. Some men more moliciously than ignorantly will put no difference between Reformation and alteration of Government 88. What part soever of a King's Revenue is found illegal or heavy to the Subjects a King should be willing to lay down trusting in their affections 89. It is not fit for a King to argue the business of High Treason which toucheth his principal Minister of State though his Parliament countenance it if in his Conscience He cannot condemn him Nor is a Parliament to expect that a positive Doctrine should best become the mouth of a Prince 90. If a King cannot condemn as a Parliament would have Him his Minister of State of High Treason yet cannot say He can clear Him of misdemeanours the said Parliament may find out a way to satisfie Justice and their own fears and not press his Conscience 91. Although a King to satisfie the People would do great matters yet in that of Conscience so tender a thing is it neither fear nor any other respect whatsoever should ever make Him go against it 92. A King should omit no occasion whereby he may shew that affection to his people which He desires his people would shew to Him 93. It is but the mark of a King's confidence to put himself wholly upon the love and affection of his People for his subsistence 94. A King should never have other design but to win the affections of his People by his justice in his government 95. A good King can do nothing with more cheerfullness than to give his people a general satisfaction not offering to endeer himself unto them by word which should not be his way but by Acts of setling their Religion and just Liberties before he proceeds to any other 96. It is no prejudice for a King a little to misreckon in time if not deceived in his end to settle an unquiet Nation of his Subjects 97. A King ought to seek his Peoples happiness their flourishing being his greatest glory and their affections his greatest strength 98. A Soveraign ought to take that care of his Son which shall justifie Him to God as a Father and to his Dominions as a King 99. A King ought to assure upon his honour that He has no thought but Peace and Justice to his People which He should by all fair means seek to preserve and maintain relying upon the goodness and providence of God for the preservation of Himself and Rights 100. In ambiguous Times a Kings fears should be greater for the Religion He professeth his People and Lawes than for his own Rights and safety The Eleventh Century 1. IT is a high thing to tax a King with breach of promise 2. A Parliament may have worse informations than the King Counsels against which they except 3. The King of whom the Militia is demanded by his Parliament is not to part with it for an hourâ— Nor should that be demanded of a King wherewith his wife and children are not to be trusted 4. A King is not to punish or discourage his People for petitioning to Him in an humble way though the Subject do not agree with his sense 5. A King sometimes cannot satisfie his People in a debt due to the Country when all the Water goes not to the right Mill. 6. When Lawes are altered by any other Authority than that by which they were made the foundations of the Peoples happiness are destroyed 7. When the King is oppressed and his just Kights taken from Him it is impossible for the Subjects Liberties and properties to be preserved 8. Errours and mistakes among Loyal Subjects proceeding from misinformation are removed with more satisfaction and ease to them than they were received 9. A King should hold it a piece of his duty to take the utmost pains He can fully to inform and undeceive his People and rather to prevent crimes than to punish them 10. Persons of ill dispositions take as great pains to do mischief and to bring confusion as good men should for peace and happiness in a Kingdom 11. When a good King sends such Propositions of Peace and Accommodation to his Parliament that contested with Him as to which He may expect they should with alacrity submit if the unexcusable enemies of Peace be not strong enough to prevail He may reasonably hope to have no other use of his Loyal Peoples affections but in their prayers not needing their assistance when He requireth nothing that with more justice can be denied Him than his Crown or Life be taken from Him 12. When the Religion Liberty-Lawes which are good Subjects priviledg and protection become the quarrel between a King and any his People in Rebellion the taking his Towns Ships Armies and money from Him should not dishearten Him the concurrence and affection of his people with God's blessing will supply and recover all 13. In time of Rebellion when any Country or Province have shewed much forwardness and made great expressions of their affections to the King He should never be satisfied with Himself till He have found some way to fix a mark of favour and estimation upon the same which may tell Posterity how good Subjects and how much Gentlemen they have been 14. The memory of any signal Loyalty shewed by Persons or Provinces to the Royal Father should grow up in a just acknowledgment with his Sons 15. In times of distraction unquiet Spirits will be abroad and every day throw in new accidents to disturb and confound the publick Peace 16. Rebellion that at first but fortifies it self in a Town will at length rise to that insolence as not to be any longer confined within the Walls but make sallies out to exercise murder cruelty and rapine upon the persons and possessions of good Subjects 17. The sad effects of counterfeit Fears and Jealousies in a Parliament are such as no men can tell the least good they
from the earnest and constant endeavouring of which as no discouragement given Him on the contrary part should make Him cease so no success on his own should ever divert Him 52. All men who pretend to goodness must desire peace and all men know Treaties to be the best and most Christian way to procure it 53. A King can never condescend unto what is absolutely destructive to that just power which by the Lawes of God and the Land He is born unto 54. As a King should make no other demands but such as He believes confidently to be just and much conducing to the tranquillity of the People so should He be most willing to condescend to them in whatsoever shall be really for their good and happiness 55. Except a King and People have reciprocal care each of other neither can be happy 56. A King should never dissemble nor hide his Conscience when his consent is desired to the alteration of Religion wherewith He is unsatisfied 57. In times of Distraction and Division between King and People if the King be so unfortunate as to sall into their hands it is â—it for Him to be attended by some of his Chaplains whose opinions as Clergy-men he ought to esteem and reverence not only for the exercise of his Conscience but also for clearing of his judgment concerning the emergent differences in Religion 58. A restrained King cannot as He ought take in consideration the alterations in Religion that may be offered Him without the help of his Chaplains or Divines because He can never judge rightly of or be altered in any thing of his opinion so long as any ordinary way of finding out the Truth is denied Him but when that is granted Him He should not strive for victory in Argument but seek and submit to Truth according to that judgment which God hath given Him alwayes holding it his best and greatest conquest to give contentment to his People in all things which He conceives not to be against his Conscience or Honour 59. A King under such restraint as he is not master of those ordinary actions which are the undoubted rights of any free-born man is not in case fit to make Concessions for give Answers to his revolted Subjects 60. A King under what restraint soever should not give his consent to any Propositions made to Him by his revolted Subjects that require the disclaiming that reason which God hath given Him to judge by for the good of Him and his People and the putting a great violence upon his Conscience 61. It were easie for a distressed King who intended to wind Himself out of Troubles by indirect means readily to consent to whatsoever is proposed to Him and afterward choose his time to break all alledging that forced concessions are not to be kept for which He would not incur a hard censure from indifferent men 62. Maximes of fallacy are not to be the guides of a King's Actions in extremity 63. It is held by some unlawfull for any man and most base in a King to recede from his promises for having been obtained by force or he under restraint Note According as the promises may be which if unjust and injurious are not to be adher'd to 64. A general Act of Oblivion is the best bond of peace 65. The Wisdom of several Kingdoms hath usually and happily in all ages granted general Pardons whereby the numerous discontentments of many persons and families otherwise exposed to ruine might not become fuel to new disorders or seeds to future troubles 66. Perpetual dishonour must cleve to that King who to obtain liberty or other advantage to Himself shall abandon those persons of Condition and Fortune that out of a sense of duty have engaged themselves with and for Him in his Civil Wars 67. Liberty being that which in all times hath been the common theme and desire of all men common Reason shewes That Kings less than any should endure Captivity 68. A King may with patience endure a tedious restraint so long as He has any hope that that sort of his suffering may conduce to the peace of his Kingdoms or the hindering of more effusion of blood 69. A King under restraint finding by too certain proofs that his continued patience would not only turn to his personal ruine but likewise be of much more prejudice than furtherance to the publick good is bound as well by natural as political obligations to seek his safety by retiring Himself if He can for some time from the publick view both of his Friends and Enemies 70. No indifferent man can judg but a King has just cause to free Himself from the hands of those who change their principles with their condition and who are not ashamed openly to intend the destruction of his Nobility and with whom the Levellers doctrine is rather countenanced than punished 71. No reasonable man can think that God will bless those who refuse to hear their own King when they have him under restraint 72. Although a King may withdraw Himself from the ill usage of such his Subjects as keep Him under restraint and are deaf to the importunities of his reasonable desires yet when He may be heard with Freedom Honour and Safety He should instantly break forth through the cloud of his retirement and shew Himself really to be Pater Patriae 73. When a King is willing to give ease to the Consciences of others there is no reason why He alone and those of his judgment should be pressed to a violation of theirs 74. It is the definition not names of things which make them rightly known 75. Without means to perform no Propsition can take effect 76. A King to whom Honour Freedom and Safety is not allowed can no more treat with his Subjects that have usurped his power than a blind man judge of colours or one run a race who hath both his feet tied together 77. A King of two different Nations should yield to none in either Kingdom for being truly and zealously affected for the good and honour of both and his resolution should be never to be partial for either to the prejudice of the other 78. Mercy is as inherent and inseparable to a King as Justice 79. A King should never abuse the love of his loyal Subjects by any power wherewith God shall enable Him to the least violation of the least of their liberties or the diminution of those immunities which He before had granted them though they be beyond the Acts of his Predecessours 80. In time of Civil War whosoever behaves not Himself like a good Subject to his King in his Kingdom should not if the King can help it receive the benefit and advantage of being his Subject in any other but all foreign Princes should know that as such a person hath parted with his loyalty to his King so he must not hope for any security by Him that some example may be made how easie it is for a King to punish
their disloyalty abroad who for a time may avoid their own King's justice at home 81. In time of Civil War such who have by weakness and misunderstanding or through fear and apprehension of danger been so far transported as to contribute and consent to horrid intestine dissentions should by their free and liberal assistance of their King express That their former errours proceeded from weakness not from malice 82. The experience Subjects have of their King's Religion Justice and Love of his People should not suffer them to believe any horrid scandals laid upon Him And their Affection Loyalty and Jealousie of his Honour should disdain to be made instruments to oppress their Native Soveraign by assisting an odious Rebellion 83. A King's obligation is both in Conscience and Honour neither to abandon God's Cause injure his Successours nor forsake his Friends 84. A King so distressed in Civil Wars as He cannot flatter Himself with expectation of good success may rest satisfied in this to end his dayes with Honour and a good Conscience which obligeth Him to continue his endeavours in not despairing that God may in due time avenge his own Cause 85. A King in extremity is not to be deserted by his friends though He that stayes with Him must expect and resolve either to dye for a good cause or which is worse to live as miserable in maintaining it as the violence of insulting Rebels can make him 86. As the best foundation of Loyalty is Christianity so true Christianity teaches perfect Loyalty for without this reciprocation neither is truly what they pretend to be 87. A King should chuse such Commissioners for any Treaty with Rebels as will neither be threatned nor disputed from the grounds He hath given them 88. Wherein Rebels strain to justifie their breaking off Treaties with their King bare asseverations without proofs cannot I am sure satisfie any judicious Reader 89. The Penners of seditious Pamphlets to justifie the cause of Rebels seek more to take the ears of the ignorant multitude with big words and bold Assertions than to satisfie rational men with real proofs or true arguments 90. Bare Asseverations which bold Rebels often make even against what they see will not get credit with any but such who abandon their judgments to an implicit Faith 91. The determinations of all the Parliaments in the World cannot make a thing just or necessary if it be not so of it self 92. When the reasons upon which the laying by of a King's authority is grounded are not particularly mentioned for the Worlds satisfaction if possible but involved in general big words it seems that it is their force of armes who do it more than that of Reason which they trust to for procuring of obedience to their determinations or belief to what they say 93. It is evident that the demands of bold Rebels have alwayes increased with their good fortune 94. A King must in no extremity howsoever pressed to it by Rebels resolve to live in quiet without honour and to give his people peace without safety by abandoning them to an arbitrary unlimited power 95. Reason will hardly maintain those who are afraid of her 96. Indifferent men may often judge of a King's innocency by their way of accusation who rebel against Him For those who lay such high crimes to his charge as the breach of Oathes Vowes Protestations and Imprecations would not spare to bring their proofs if they had any 97. It is a wrong to a King's Innocency to seek to clear Him of such slanders for which there are no proofs alledged for Malice being once detected is best answered with neglect and silence 98. Although Affection should not so blind one as to say that his King never erred yet as when a just debt is paid Bonds ought to be cancelled so Grievances be they never so just being once redressed ought no more to be objected as Errours And it is no Paradox to affirm That Truths this way told are no better than slanders 99. It is most certain by experience That they who make no conscience of Rebelling will make less of Lying when it is for their advantage 100. It is the artifice of Rebels not only to endeavour to make Fables pass for currant coin but likewise to seek to blind mens judgements with false inferences upon some truths The Twelfth Century 1. IT cannot be warranted by Justice that any man should be slandred yet denyed the sight thereof and so far from being permitted to answer that if he have erred there should be no way left him to acknowledg or mend it 2. It cannot be made appear that our Saviour and the Apostles did so leave the Church at liberty as they might totally alter or change the Church Government at their pleasure 3. Mens conjectures can breed but a humane faith 4. The Post-scripts of St. Paul's Epistles though we lay no great weight upon them yet they are to be held of great antiquity and therefore such as in question of fact where there appears no strong evidence to weaken their belief ought not to be lightly rejected 5. Although Faith as it is an assent unto Truth supernatural or of Divine Revelation reacheth no further than the Scriptures yet in matters of fact humane testimonies may beget a Faith though humane yet certain and infallible 6. It is not to be conceived that the accessions or additions granted by the favour of Princes for the enlarging of the power or priviledges of Bishops have made or indeed can make the Government really and substantially to differ from what formerly it was no more than the addition of Armes or Ornaments can make a body really and substantially to differ from it self naked or divested of the same nor can it be thought either necessary or yet expedient that the elections of the Bishops and some other circumstantials touching their Persons or Office should be in all respects the same under Christian Princes as it was when Christians lived among Pagans and under persecution 7. It is well worthy the studies and endeavours of Divines of both opinions laying aside emulation and private interests to reduce Episcopacy and Presbytery into such a well proportioned form of superiority and subordination as may best resemble the Apostolical and Primitive times so far forth as the different condition of the times and the exigents of all considerable circumstances will admit so as the power of Church-Government in the particular of Ordination which is meerly spiritual may remain authoritative in the Bishop but that power not to be exercised without the concurrence or assistance of the Presbytery 8. Other powers of Government which belong to jurisdiction though they are in the Bishops yet the outward exercise of them may be ordered and disposed or limited by the Soveraign power to which by the lawes of the place and the acknowledgment of the Clergy they are subordinate 9. The Succession of Bishops is the best clue the most certain and ready way
THE POURTRAITURE OF A ROYAL SOUL Drawn from The Transcendent MEDITATIONS OF King CHARLES I. By RICHARD WATSON Habebat perfectum animum ad summam sui adductus supra quam nihil est nisâ— mens Dei ex qua pars in hoc pectus mortale de fluxit quod nunquam magis divinum est quà m ubi mortalitatem suam cogitat scit in hoc natum hominem ut vitâ defungeretur Senec. Epist 120. London Printed for Robert Horn 1661. To the Reader Friend PHilo the Jew tels us That Tharra among the Hebrews and Socrates among the Greeks were men so noted for meditation and retirement within themselves that whosoever in aftertime by such a reflex knowledge could give an exact Character of his Soul had that name as a title of honâ—r in each Nation If you do right to this Piece apart presented unto your view you must needs acknowledg that not any of our Britannike Kings ha's done a Design by which he merited to have his name transmitted to posterity with that advantage as Charles the First who in a time of such distraction when most of his Subjects acted by a very uncertain light some of them mistook themselves and others took great pains to disguise and lay counterfeit colours upon their Conscience drew so exquisite a Pourtraicture of a pious and prudent Prince as it appears most evident He then took not first the pencil in hand to practise but began to exercise in the very dawn of his Reason what skill He perfected in the glory and luster of his Reign though He copied it not for his Royal Successours and Religious Subjects until the approaching twilight or setting of his Sun in bloud The Picture is not here exposed to be onely lookt upon by a curious eye to have the hand commended and then the curtain drawn What more is mean't will best be known by such as seriously intend to imitate and have a devout ambition by a like looking into their Souls and meditating on their duties in their several capacities to deserve the honour of that great name which ought to be held venerable among us in all succeeding ages Of which number I wish you one and my self likewise Your humble servant RICHARD WATSON Cent. 1 beginneth Pag. 217 Cent. 2 beginneth Pag. 241 Cent. 3 beginneth Pag. 265 Cent. 4 beginneth Pag. 294 ERRATA The Reader is desired to mend the following Escapes and whomsoever he censures to impute neither mistake nor negligence to the Collectour Title page read Basilicae Epistle Dedicatory Page 1 r. recognize p. 24 r. iâ— after some few years revolution c. Effata Regalia Century 1. num 2. r. allay n 6 r the grounds n 30 r stupidity n 73 r conscious n 77 r Saviour n 79 r merits n 82 r though they should be satiated n 86 r soul of a Queen Century 2. n â— r praieâ—â— n 28 r â—ay serve n 49 r propound n 75 r streightness n 90 r false evil Century 3 n 5 r with prejudâ—ces n 20 r considerations nor designs n 81 r oblequie Cent. 4 n 31 r upon functions n 89 r to Christs rule Cent. 5 n 22 r not â—orosely Cent. 6 n 10 r differences in Religion and offences by c. n 23 r a diâ—â—â—dence oâ— his own judgment n 66 r aggravations n 91 r that as the greatest temptations c. Cent. 7 n 8 r their Pilot. n 71 r who will avoid Cent. 8. n 32 r from their prâ—reption n 49 r Philistims n 55 r portends Cent. 9 n 11 r congregations n 35 r he shall be forced to consent c. n 73 r fixed on new models Cent. 10 n 3 r from which reason c. Cent. 11 n 7 r Rights n 50 r will not restore the people c. Icon Auimae Basilicae Century 2. num 64 â— shall be n 88 r to a happy c n 93 â— inclined n 97 â— We â—ad need c Cent. 3 n 54 r the handful of â—eal Cent. 4 n 18 â— findeth Monita c Britannica Cent. 1. n 13 r of differing c. n 35 r unto the King n 48 r he may suspect n 81 r spirit of prayer n 91 r lest being n 941 of sound Cent. 2 n 22 r the draught Icon Animae Basilicae THE POUR TRAICTURE OF A ROYAL SOUL The First Century 1. REsolutions of future Reforming do not alwayes satisfie Gods Justice nor prevent his Vengeance for former miscariages 2. When out Sins have overlai'd our Hopes we are taught to depend on Gods mercies to forgive not on our purpose to amend 3. God often vindicates his glory by his judgments and shews us how unsafe it is to offend him upon presumptions afterwards to please him 4. For want of timely repentance of our sins God gives us cause to repent of those remedies we too late apply 5. When God gives us the benefit of our afflictions and his chastisements we may dare account them the strokes not of an Enemy but a Father whose rod as well as his staf may comfort us 6. Gods grace is infinitely better with our sufferings than our peace could be with our sins 7. When God that over-rules our Counsels over-rules also our hearts the worse things we suffer by his Justice the better we may be by his Mercy 8. Sin may turn our Antidotes into Poyson and Grace return our Poyson into Antidotes 9. An act of sinful compliance hath greater aggravations in a King than any man especially when without the least temptation of envy or malice he consents to the destruction of a Peer or meaner Subject whom by his place he ought to have preserved 10. God sees the contradiction between a King's heart and his hand against whom the sin is more immediate when he signs any man's death unsatisfied that he hath deserved it 11. A King may learn Righteousness by God's Judgments and see his own frailty in God's justice 12. A King ought to prefer Justice which is the will of God before all contrary clamours which do but discover the injurious will of man 13. It is once too much that a King has once been overcome to please his Subjects by displeasing of God 14. A King by divine permission going against his Reason of Conscience for any Reason of State highly sins against the God of Reason and Judg of Consciences 15. God's free Spirit supports the Will of a King and subjects it to none but the divine light of Reason Justice and Religion which shine in his Soul 16. God desireth Truth in the inward parts of Kings and Integrity in their outward expressions 17. When God hears the voyce of our Saviour's bloud before the cry of others undeservedly shed he speaks to King and People in the voice of Joy and Gladness which makes the bones he had broken rejoyce in his Salvation 18. A King purposing violence or oppression against the Innocent may expect the Enemy to persecute his Soul to tread his life to the
King according to man's unjust reproaches but according to the iunocency of his hands in his sight 32. If a King have desired or delighted in the wofull day of his Kingdomes calamities If he have not earnestly studied and faithfully endeavoured the preventing and composing of the bloudy distractions in his Kingdome It is just that God's hand be against him and his fathers house 33. A King that hath enemies enough of men if his Conscience do witness his integrity may conditionally dare to imprecate God's curse upon him and his to gain the World's opinion of his innocency which God himself knowes right well provided that he trust not to his own merit but Gods mercies 34. When the troubles of a King's Soul are enlarged it is the Lord that must bring him out of his distress 35. Pious simpliciy is the best policy in a King 36. They who have too much of the Serpents subtilty forget the Doves innocency 37. Though hand joyn in hand a King by Gods assistance should never let them prevail against his Soul to the betraying of his Conscience and Honour 38. God having turn'd the hearts of the men of Judah and Israel they restored David with as much loyal zeal as they did with inconstancy and eargerness pursue him 39. A depressed King in whom God preserves the love of his truth and uprightness need not despair of his Subjects affections returning towards him 40. God can soon cause the overflowing Seas to ebbe and retire back again to the bounds which he has appointed for them 41. He can as soon make them ashamed who trangress without a cause and turn them back that persecute the Soul of their King 42. Integrity and uprightness will preserve a King in distress that waits upon the Lord. 43. From just moral and indispensable bonds which God's Word in the Lawes of a Kingdom have laid upon the Consciences of men no pretensions of Piety and Reformation are sufficient to absolve them or engage them to any contrary practises 44. Nothing violent and injurious can be religious 45. God allowes no mans committing Sacriledg under the zeal of abhorring Idols 46. Sacrilegious designs have sometimes the countenance of religious ties 47. The wisest of Kings hath taught all his Successours That it is a snare to take things that are holy and after vowes to make enquiry 48. A King ought never to consent to perjurious and sacriligious rapines which set upon him the brand and curse to all posterity of robbing God and his Church of what his divine bounty had given and his clemency had accepted wherewith to encourage Learning and Religion 49. Though a King's Treasures be exhausted his Revenues diminished and his debts increased yet should he never be tempted to use prophane Reparations least a coal from God's Altar set such a fire on his Throne and Conscience as will be hardly quenched 50. Though the State recover by God's blessing of peace yet the Church is not likely in times where the Charity of most men is grown cold and their Religion illiberal 51. When God continues to those that serve him and his Church all those incouragements which by the will of pious Donors and the justice of the Lawes are due unto them they ought to deserve and use them aright to God's glory and the relief of the poor That his Priests may be cloathed with righteousness and the poor may be satisfied with bread 52. Rather than holy things should be given to Swine or the Church's bread to Dogs Let them go about the City grin like a Dog and grudg that they are not satisfied 53. Let those sacred morsels which some men have by violence devoured neither digest with them nor theirs Let them be as Naboth's Vineyard to Ahab gall in their mouths rottenness to their names a moth to their Families and a sting to their Consciences 54. Break in sunder ô Lord all violent and sacrilegious Confederations to do wickedly and injuriously 55. 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 farther 56. A King whose righteous dealing is favoured by God in the mercies of the most High never shall miscary 57. A King who is made the object of popular reproach has his soul among Lions among them that are set on fire even the sons of men whose teeth are spears and arrowes and their tongue a sharp sword 58. Those sons of men that turn their Kings glory into shame love vanity and seek after lies 59. When wicked men on every side are set to reproach their King if God hold his peace the Kings Enemies will prevail against him and lay his honour in the dust 60. God shall destroy them that speak lies against their King and will abhor both the bloud-thirsty and deceitfull men 61. God can make the Kings righteousness appear as the light and his innocency to shine forth as the Sun at noon-day 62. A good King should pray that God would not suffer his silence to betray his innocence nor his displeasure his patience but that after his Saviour's example being reviled he may not revile again and being cursed by his enemies he may bless them 63. God would not suffer Shemei's tongue to go unpunished whose judgments on David might seem to justifie his disdainfull reproaches 64. Hot burning coals of eternal fire should be the reward of false and lying tongues against their King 65. A King's prayer and patience should be as water to cool and quench their tongues who are set on fire with the fire of Hell and tormented with those malicious flames 66. The King is happy that can refute and put to silence mens evil speaking by well-doing praying that they may not enjoy the fruit of their lips but of his prayer for their repentance and God's pardon 67. A King ought to learn David's patience and Hezekia's devotion that he may look to God's mercy through mens malice and see his justice in their sin 68. Even Sheba's seditious speeches Rabshekah's railing and Shemei's cursing may provoke as a King 's humble prayer to God so God's renewed blessing toward him 69. Though men curse God may bless and the afflicted King shall be blessed and made a blessing to his people and so the stone which some builders refuse may become the head-stone of the corner 70. If God look not down from heaven and save the reproach of some men would swallow up their King 71. God can hide the King in the secret of his Presence from the pride of men and keep him from the strife of tongues 72. God's mercies are full of variety and yet of constancy 73. God denieth us not a new and fresh sense of our old and daily wants nor despiseth renewed affections joined to constant expressions 74. The matters of our prayers ought to be agreeable to God's Will which is alwayes the same and the fervency of our spirits to the motions
of his holy Spirit in us 75. God's Spiritual perfections are such as he is neither to be pleased with affected Novelties for matter or manner nor offended with the pious constancy of our petitions in them both 76. A pious moderation of mens judgments is most commendable in matters of Religion that their ignorance may not offend others nor their opinion of their own abilities tempt them to deprive others of what they may lawfully and devoutly use to help their infirmities 77. The advantage of Errour consists in novelty and variety as of Truth in unity and constancy 78. The Church is sometimes pest'red with errours and deformed with undecencies in God's service nnder the pretense of variety and novelty as deprived of truth unity and order under this fallacy That Constancy is the cause of formality 79. If God keep us from formal Hypocrisie in our hearts we know that praying to him or praising of him with David and other holy men in the same formes cannot hurt us 80. If God gives us wisdom to amend what is amiss within us there will be less to amend without us 81. The effects of blind zeal and over-bold devotion are such as God evermore defend and deliver his Church from them 82. Such should be the uprightness and tenderness of a King whom God hath set to be a Defender of the Faith and a Protector of his Church as by no violence to be overborn against his Conscience 83. The Deformation of the Church as to that Government which derived from the Apostles had been retained in purest and primitive times began when the Revenues of the Church became the object of secular envy which still seeks to rob it of the incouragements of Learning and Religion 84. A Christian King should be as the good Samaritan compassionate and helpfull to God's afflicted Church which when some men have wounded and robbed others pass by without regard either to pity or relieve 85. As the Kings power is from God so should he use it for God 86. Though a Soveraign be not suffered to be Master of his other rights as a King yet should he preserve that liberty of Reason love of Religion and the Churches welfare which are fixed in his Conscience as a Christian 87. Sacriledg invades those temporal blessings which God's Providence hath bestowed on his Church for his glory 88. Some mens sins and errours deserve God's just permission to let in the wild Boar and the subtile Foxes to wast and deform his Vineyard which his right hand hath planted and the dew of heaven so long watered a happy and flourishing estate 89. His memory is cursed who bears the infamous brand to all Posterity of being the first Christian King in his Kingdom who consented to the oppression of God's Church and the Fathers of it whose errours he should rather like Constantine cover with silence and reform with meekness than expose their persons and sacred functions to vulgar contempt 90. Their Counsels bring forth and continue violent Confusions by a precipitant destroying the ancient boundaries of the Churches Peace who mean to let in all manner of errours schismes and disorders 91. The God of Order and of Truth doth in his own good time abate the malice asswage the rage and confound all the mischievous devices of his the King 's and his Churches enemies 92. The God of Reason and of Peace disdains not to treat with sinners preventing them with offers of atonement and beseeching them to be reconciled with himself abounding in mercy to save them whom he wants not power or justice to destroy 93. When God softens our hearts by the bloud of our Redeemer and perswades us to accept of peace with him then as Men and Christians are we enclied to procure and preserve peace among our selves 94. A King should be content to be overcome when God will have it so 95. The noblest victory is over a man's self and his enemies by Patience which was Christ's conquest and may well become a Christian King 96. God between both his Hands the right sometimes supporting and the left afflicting fashioneth us to that frame of Piety he liketh best 97. Whe had need ask God forgiveness for the Pride that attends our prosperous and the repinings which follow our disastrous events 98. When we go forth in our own strength God withdraws his and goes not forth with our Armies 99. Let God be all when we are something and when we are nothing that he may have the glory when we are in a victorious or inglorious condition 100. It is hard measure for a King to suffer evil from his Subjects to whom he intends nothing but good and he cannot but suffer in those evils which they compel him to inflict upon them punishing himself in their punishments The Third Century 1. A King against whom his Subjects take up armes both in conquering and being conquered is still a sufferer in which case he needs a double portion of God's Spirit which only can be sufficient for him 2. A King in time of Civil War as he is most afflicted so ought he to be most reformed that he may be not only happy to see an end of the civil distractions but a chief instrument to restore and establish a firm and blessed Peace to his Kingdoms 3. The pious ambitions of all divided Parties should be to overcome each other with reason moderation and such self denial as becomes those who consider that their mutual divisions are their common distractions and the Union of all is every good mans chiefest interest 4. God for the sins of our peace brings upon us the miseries of Civil War and for the sins of War sometimes thinks fit to deny us the blessing of peace so keeping us in a circulation of miseries yet even then he gives the King if his servant and all Loyal though afflicted Subjects to enjoy that peace which the World can neither give to them nor take from them 5. God will not impute to a good King the bloud of his own Subjects which with infinite unwillingness and grief may have been shed by him in his just and necessary defence but will wash him in that pretious bloud which hath been shed for him by his great Peace-maker Jesus Christ who will redeem him out of all his troubles For 6. The triumphing of the Wicked is but short and the joy of Hypocrites is but for a moment 7. God who alone can give us beauty for ashes and Truth for Hypocrisie will not suffer us to be miserably deluded with Pharisaical washings instead of Christian reformings 8. Our great deformities being within we ought to be the severest Censurers and first Reformers of our own Souls 9. Rash and cruel Reformers bring deformities upon Church and State 10. Factions kindle fires under the pretense of Reforming 11. God shewes the World by some mens divisions and confusions what is the pravity of their intentions and weakeness of their judgments 12. They whom God's
Providence shall entrust with so great good and necessary a work as is a Christian and Charitable Reformation ought to use such methods as wherein nothing of ambition revenge covetousness or sacriledg may have any influence upon their Counsels 13. Inward Piety may best teach King and people how to use the blessing of outward Peace 14. God whose wise and all-disposing Providence ordereth the greatest contingencies of humane affairs may make a King see the constancy of his mercies to him in the greatest advantages God seems to give the malice of a King's enemies against him 15. As God did blast the Counsel of Achitophel turning it to David's good and his own ruine so can he defeat their design who intend by publishing ought they intercept of their King 's nothing else but to render him more odious and contemptible to his people 16. God can make the evil men imagine and displeasure they intend against their King so to return on their own heads that they may be ashamed and covered with their own confusion as with a cloak 17. When the King's enemies use all means to cloud his honour to pervert his purposes and to slander the footsteps of God's Anointed God can give the King an heart content to be dishonoured for his sake and his Church's good 18. When a King hath a fixed purpose to honour God then God will honour him either by restoring to him the enjoyment of that power and Majesty which he had suffered some men to seek to deprive him of or by bestowing on him that Crown of Christian Patience which knowes how to serve him in honour or dishonour in good report or evil 19. If God who is the fountain of goodness and honour cloathed with excellent Majesty make the King to partake of his Excellency for Wisdome Justice and Mercy he shall not want that degree of Honour and Majesty which becomes the Place in which God hath set him who is the lifter up of his head and his salvation 20. When a King knowes not what to do his eyes must be toward God who is the Soveraign of our Souls and the only Commander of our Consciences to the protection of whose mercy he must still commend himself 21. God who hath preserved a King in the day of Battel can afterward shew his strength in his weakness 22. God will be to a good King in his darkest night a pillar of fire to enlighten and direct him in the day of his hottest affliction a pillar of cloud to overshadow and protect him he will be to him both a Sun and a Shield 23. A King must not by any perversness of will but through just perswasions of Honour Reason and Religion hazard his Person Peace and Safety against those that by force seek to wrest them from him 24. A King's resolutions should not abate with his outward Forces having a good Conscience to accompany him in his solitude and desertions 25. A King must not betray the powers of Reason and that fortress of his Soul which he is intrusted to keep for God 26. The King whom God leads in the paths of his righteousness he will shew his salvation 27. Whâ—n a Kings wayes please God God will make his enemies to be at peace with him 28. When God who is infinitely good and great is with the King his presence is better than life and his service is perfect freedom 29. The Soveraign whom God ownes for his servant shall never have cause to complain for want of that liberty which becometh a Man a Christian and a King 30. A Soveraign should desire to be blessed by God with Reason as a Man with Religion as a Christian and with constancy in justice as a King 31. Though God suffer a King to be stript of all outward ornaments yet he may preserve him ever in those enjoyments wherein he may enjoy himself and which cannot be taken from him against his will 32. No fire of affliction should boyl over a King's passion to any impatience or sordid fears 33. Though many say of an afflicted King There is no help for him yet if God lift up the light of his Countenance upon him he shall neither want safety liberty nor Majesty 34. When a King's strength is scattered his expectation from men defeated his person restrained if God be not far from him his enemies shall not prevail too much against him 35. When a King is become a wonder and a scorn to many God may be his Helper and Defender 36. When God shewes any token upon an injur'd King for good then they that hate him are ashamed because the Lord hath holpen and comforted him 37. When God establisheth a King with his free Spirit he may do and suffer God's Will as he would have him 38. God will be mercifull to that King whose Soul trusteth in him and who makes his refuge in the shadow of God's wings until all calamities be overpast 39. A good King though God kill him will trust in his mercy and his Saviours merits 40. So long as an afflicted King knoweth that his Redeemer liveth though God lead him through the vail and shadow of death yet shall he fear no ill 41. When a Captive King is restrained to solitary prayers what he wants of his Chaplains help God can supply with the more immediate assistances of his Spirit which alone will both enlighten his darkness and quicken his dulness 42. God who is the Sun of Righteousness the sacred fountain of heavenly light and heat can at once clear and warm the King's heart both by instructing of him and interceding for him 43. God is all fullness From God is all-sufficiency By God is all acceptance God is company enough and comfort enough God is King of the King God can be also his Prophet and his Priest Rule him teach him pray in him for him and be ever with him 44. The single wrestlings of Jacob prevailed with God in that sacred Duel when he had none to second him but God himself who did assist Jacob with power to overcome him and by a welcome violence to wrest a blessing from him The same assistance and success can God give as he pleaseth to the solitary prayers and devout contentions of a Captive King 45. The joint and sociated Devotions of others is a blessing unto a King their fervency inflaming the coldness of his affections towards God when they go up to or meet in God's House with the voice of joy and gladness worshiping God in the Unity of Spirits and with the Bond of Peace 46. A King ought to ask God forgiveness if guilty of neglect and not improving the happy opportunities he had to meet Priest and People in God's Church 47. A King sequester'd from the opportunities of publick worship and private assâ—stance of his Chaplains is as a Pelican in the Wilderness a Sparrow on the House top and as a coal scattered from all those pious glowings and devout reflections which might best
kindle preserve and encrease the holy fire of divine graces on the Altar of his heart whence the sacrifice of prayers and incense of prayses might be duly offered up to God 48. God that breaketh not the bruised Reed nor quâ—ncheth the smoking Flax will not despise the weakness of a King's prayers nor the smotherings of his Soul in an uncomfortable loneness to which he is constrained by some mens uncharitable denials of those helps which he may much want and no less desire 49. The hardness of Rebels hearts should occasion the softnings of a Captive King 's to God and for them Their hatred should kindle his love Their unreasonable denials of his Religious desires should the more excite his prayers unto God Their inexorable deafness may encline God's ear to him who is a God easie to be entreated 50. God's ear is not heavy that it cannot nor his heart hard that it will not hear nor his hand shortned that it cannot help a King his Suppliant in a desolate condition 51. Though God permit men to deprive a King of those outward means which he hath appointed in his Church yet they cannot debar him from the communion of that inward grace which God alone breaths into humble hearts 52. When God hath once made a King humble he will teach him he will hear him he will help him for The broken and contrite heart God will not despise 53. God can make a King in solitude at once his Temple his Priest his Sacrifice and his Altar while from an humble heart he alone daily offers up in holy meditations fervent prayers and unfeigned tears to God who prepareth him for himself dwelleth in him and accepteth of him 54. God who did cause by secret supplies and miraculous infusions that the handfull of meat in the vessel should not spend nor the little oyle in the cruise fail the Widow during the time of drought and dearth will look on a good King's Soul when as a Widow it is desolate and forsaken will not permit those saving Truths he had formerly learned then to fail his memory nor the sweet effusions of his Spirit which he had sometime felt then to be wanting to his heart in the famine of ordinary and wholsome food for the refreshing of his Soul 55. A Captive King in solitude may rather chuse to want the memory of the saving Truths he had learned or the sense of Spiritual comforts he had formerly felt than to feed from those hands who mingle his bread with ashes and his wine with gall rather tormenting than teaching him whose mouths are proner to bitter reproaches of him then to hearty prayers for him 56. They who wrest the holy Scriptures to their Kings destruction which are clear for their Subjection and his preservation hazard their Souls damnation 57. Some men under the colour of long prayers have sought to devour the houses of their Brethren their King and their God 58. A distressed King may pray against their wickedness whose very balms break his head and their cordials oppress his heart That he may be delivered from the poyson under their tongues from the snares of their lips from the fire and the swords of their words and all those Loyal and Religious hearts who desire and delight in the prosperity of his Soul and who seek by their prayers to relieve the sadness and solitude of their King 59. Though a distressed King may chance to say in his hast That he is cast out of the sight of God's eyes nevertheless God may hear the voice of his supplication when he cries unto him 60. If the Lord would be extreme to mark what is done amiss who could abide it But there is mercy with him that he may be feared and therefore it is that sinners flie unto him 61. A King in the acknowledgment of his sins before God should reflect upon the aggravation of his condition the eminency of his place adding weight to his offences 62. A King ought to beseech God to forgive as his Personal so his Peoples sins which are so far his as he hath not improved the power that God gave him to his glory and his Subjects good 63. God may justly as to his over-ruling hand bring a Soveraign who in many things has rebelled against him from the glory and freedom of a King to be a Prisoner to his own Subjects 64. Though God may permit a King's Person to be restrained yet he may enlarge his heart to himself and his grace toward him 65. God may give the comforts and the sure mercies of David to the King who comes far short of David's piety yet equals David in afflictions 66. God may make the penitent sense a King has of his sins become an evidence to him that he hath pardoned them 67. The evils which at any time a King and his Kingdom hath suffered should not seem little to him though God punisheth them not according to their sins 68. When the sorrowes of a King's heart are enlarged in the importunity of his prayers if God bring him not out of his troubles he may expostulate with him as having forgotten to be gracious and to have shut up his loving kindness in displeasure 69. An Afflicted King may utterly faint if he believe not to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living 70. The sins of our prosperity many times deprive us of the benefit of our afflictions 71. It is happy for us if the fiery tryal of affliction consume the dross which in long peace and plenty we have contracted 72. Though God continue our miseries yet if he withdraw not his grace what is wanting of prosperity may be made up in patience and repentance 73. An afflicted King from whom God's anger is not yet to be turn'd away but his hand of justice must be stretched out still in the exuberance of charity and self-condemnation will beseech God it may be against him and his fathers house pleading the innocence of his People and asking What those sheep have done 74. Though the sufferings of a King satiate not the malice of his and the Church's enemies yet should their cruelty never exceed the measure of his charity 75. An injur'd King should ask grace to banish all thoughts of revenge that he may not lose the reward nor God the glory of his patience 76. A King to whom God hath given a heart to forgive such as have rebelled against him should beseech God to forgive them what they have done against both God and King 77. An afflicted King whom God in mercy remembers and his Kingdomes 1. In continuing the light of his Gospel and setling his true Religion among them 2. In restoring to them the benefit of the Lawes and the due execution of justice 3. In suppressing the many Schismes in Church and Factions in State 4. In restoring him and his to the Ancient Rights and glory of his Predecessours 5. In turning the hearts of the People to God in
Piety to the King in loyalty and to one another in charity 6. In quenching the flames and withdrawing the fewel of Civil Wars 7. In blessing King and People with the freedom of Publick Councels and delivering the Honour of Parliament from the insolency of the vulgar 8. In keeping the King from the great offence of exacting any thing against his Conscience and especially from consenting to sacrilegious rapines and spoilings of God's Church 9. In restoring him to a capacity to glorifie God in doing good both to the Church and State 10. In bringing him again with peace safety and honour to his chiefest City and Parliament if chased from them 11. In putting again the sword of Justice into his hand to punish and protect 1. The Soul of the said King ought to praise God and magnifie his name before his People 2. To hold God's glory dearer to him than his Crowns 3. To make the advancement of true Religion both in purity and power to be his chiefest care 4. To rule his People with justice and his Kingdoms with equity 5. To own ever to God's more immediate hand as the rightfull succession so the mercifull restauration of his Kingdoms and the glory of them 6. To make all the World see this and his very Enemies enjoy the benefit hereof 78. A restored King as he should freely pardon for Christ's sake those that have offended him in any kind so his hand should never be against any man to revenge what is past in regard of any particular injury done to him 79. When a King and People have been mutually punished in their unnatural divisions the King should for God's sake and for the love of his Redeemer purpose this in his heart That he will use all means in the wayes of amnesty and indempnity which may most fully remove all fears and bury all jealousies in forgetfullness 80. As a King's resolutions of Truth and Peace are toward his People so may he expect God's mercies to be toward him and his 81. God will hear the King's prayer which goeth not out of feigned lips 82. If a King commit the way of his Soul to the Lord and trust in him he shall bring his desire to pass 83. A King ought not to charge God foolishly who will not restore him and his but to bless his Name who hath given and taken away praying to God that his People and the Church may be happy if not by him yet without him 84. God who is perfect Unity in a Sacred Trinity will in mercy behold King and People whom his Justice may have divided 85. They who at any time have agreed to fight against their King may as much need his prayers and pity as he deliverance from their strivings when ready to fight against one another to the continuance of the distractions of his Kingdoms 86. The wayes of Peace consist not in the divided wills of Parties but in the point and due observation of the Lawes 87. A King should be willing to go whither God will lead him by his Providence desiring God to be ever with him that he may see God's constancy in the Worlds variety and changes 88. The King whom God makes such as he would have him may at last enjoy the safety and tranquillity which God alone can give him 89. God's heavy wrath hangs justly over those populous Cities whose plenty addes fewel to their luxury whose wealth makes them wanton whose multitudes tempt them to security and their security exposeth them to unexpected miseries 90. To whom God gives not eyes to see hearts to consider nor wills to embrace and courage to act those things which belong to his glory and the publick Peace their calamity comes upon them as an armed man 91. Rebellious Cities and Pâ—â—â—â— cannot want enemies who abâ—â—â—â— in sin nor shall they be long undisarmed and undestroyed who with a high hand persisting to fight against God and the clear convictions of their own Consciences fight more against themselves than ever they did against thier King their sins exposing them to Gods Justice their riches to others injuries their number to Tumults and their Tumults to Confusion 92. A depressed King should have so much charity as to pray That his fall be not their ruine who have with much forwardness helped to destroy him 93. An injur'd King should not so much consider either what Rebellious People have done or he hath suffered as to forget to imitate his crucified Redeemer to plead their ignorance for their pardon and in his dying extremities to pray to God his father to forgive them who know not what they did 94. They who have denied tears to their King in his saddest condition may need his prayers for God's grace to bestow them upon themselves who the less they weep for him the more cause they have to weep for themselves 95. A King should pray that his bloud may not be upon them and their children whom the fraud and faction of some not the malice of all have excited to crucifie him 96. God can and will both exalt and perfect a good King by his sufferings which have more in them of God's mercy than of man's cruelty or God's own justice 97. God that is King of Kings who filleth Heaven and Earth who is the fountain of eternal life in whom is no shadow of death is both the just afflicter of death upon us and the mercifull Saviour of us in it and from it 98. It is better for us to be dead to our selves and live in God than by living in our selves to be deprived of God 99. God can make the many bitter aggravations of a Soveraign's violent death as a Man and a King the opportunities and advantages of his special graces and comforts in his Soul as a Christian 100. If God will be with the King he shall neither fear nor feel any evil though he walk through the valley of the shadow of death The Fourth Century 1. TO contend with Death is the work of a weak and mortal man to overcome it is the grace of him alone who is the Almighty and immortal God 2. Our Saviour who knowes what it is to dye with a King as a Man can make the King to know what it is to pass through death to life with him his God 3. Let a distressed King say Though I dye yet I know that thou my Redeemer livest for ever though thou slayest me yet thou hast encouraged me to trust in thee for eternal life 4. God's favour is better to a distressed King than life 5. As God's Omniscience discovers so his Omnipotence can defeat the designs of those who have or shall conspire the destruction of their King 6. God can shew an injur'd King the goodness of his will through the wickedness of theirs that would destroy him 7. God gives a distrâ—ssed King leave as a man to pray that the cup of death may pass from him but he has taught him as a Christian by
knowing he had hard measure and such as they would be very loth should be repeted to themselves 11. The tenderness and regret the King may find in his soul for having had any hand though very unwillingly in shedding one man's bloud unjustly though under the colour and formalities of Justice and pretenses of avoyding publick mischief may be hop'd to be some evidence before God and Man to all Posterity that he is far from bearing justly the vast load and guilt of all the bloud shed in an unhappy Civil War as his Rebels charge upon him To overawe the freedom of the Houses of Parliament or to weaken their just Authority by any violent impressions upon them is a design unworthy of the King who shall not need so rough assistance if he have Justice and Reason on his side 13. Popular Tumults are not the best removers of obstructions in Parliaments which rather infringe all freedome or differing in Votes and debating matters with reason and candor 14. When the obstinacy of Men in Parliament resolved to discharge their Consciences must be subdued by Tumults it may be feared that by the same all factious seditious and scismatical proposals against Government Ecclesiastical or Civil will be backed and abetted till they prevail 15. The riot and impatience of popular Tumults is such that they will not stay the ripening and season of Counsels or fair production of Acts in the order gravity and deliberateness besitting a Parliament but will rip up with barbarous cruelty and forcibly cut out abortive Votes such as their Inviters and Incouragers most fancy 16. When Tumults are become so insolent that there is no securing of the King's freedom in Parliament nor of his very person in the streets he is not bound by his presence to provoke them to higher boldness and contempts 17. When and only when Parliaments in their first Election and Constitution sit full and free as in all reason honour and Religion they ought to be things may be so carried as will give no less content to all good men than they wish or expect 18. It may prove unhappy to convene a Parliament where the Place affords the greatest Confluence of various and vitious humours 19. The King when he calls a Parliament should purpose to contribute what in Justice Reason Honour and Conscience he can to the happy success of it nor should it have any other design in him but the General good of his Kingdoms 20. Triennial Parliaments in a Kingdom as gentle and seasonable Physick might if well applied prevent any distempers from getting head or prevailing especially if the remedy prove not a disease beyond all remedy 21. Some men when they meet in Parliament occasion more work than they find to do by undoing so much as they find well done to their hands 22. The perpetuating a Parliament is an Act of highest confidence whereby a King hopes to shut out and lock the dore upon all present jealousies and future mistakes but intends not thereby to exclude himself as some may requite him 23. Those Subjects are unworthy of an indulgent King who deceive his extreme confidence by ill using any Act of Grace wherein he declares so much to trust them as to deny himself in a high point of his Prerogative 24. A continual Parliament by preserving Lawes in their due execution and vigour but no otherwise may be thought until Experiment shew a fallacy the best means to keep the Commonweal in tune 25. The agreeing Votes of the major part in both Houses of Parliament are not by any Law or Reason conclusive to the judgment of their King nor do they carry with them his consent whom they in no kind represent 26. The King is not further bound to agree with the Votes of both Houses then he sees them agree with the will of God with his just Rights as a King and the general good of his People 27. The Members of Parliament as many men are seldom of one mind and it is oft seen that the major part of them are not the right 28. The Majesty of the Crown of England is not bound by any Coronation Oath to consent to whatever its Subjects in Parliament shall require 29. The Coronation Oath is discharged by the King 's governing by such Lawes as his People with the House of Peers have chosen and himself hath consented unto 30. The King should give no ear to the importunity of his Parliament when instead of Reason and Publick concernments they obtrude nothing but what makes for the interest of parties and flowes from the partialities of private wills and passions 31. Every Subject is bound to stand to the sentence of Parliament according to Law 32. Where an orderly guard is granted unto the Parliament no account in reason can be given for the not suppressing Tumults but only to oppress both the King 's and the Two Houses freedom of declaring and voting according to every mans Conscience 33. The King should not by power protect any against the Justice of Parliament 34. It is justifiable for men in Parliament to withdraw who fear the partiality of their trial warned by any sad president while the Vulgar threaten to be their Oppressours and Judgers of their Judges 35. When Factious Tumults overbear not the Freedom and Honour of the two Houses but they assert their Justice against them and make the way open for all the Members quietly to come and declare their Consciences no man should be so dear unto their King as whom he should have the least inclination to advise either to withdraw himself or deny appearing upon their summons 36. Though the King may approve in some cases mens generous constancy and cautiousness yet further than that he should never allow any mans refractoriness against the Priviledges and Orders of the Houses to whom he ought to wish nothing more than Safety Fullness and Freedom 37. Those men that despair in fair and Parliamentary wayes by free deliberations and Votes to gain the concurrence of the Major part of Lords and Commons betake themselves when they have interest by the desperate activity of factious Tumults to sift and terrifie away all those Members whom they see to be of contrary minds to their purposes 28. Bishops ought to enjoy their Ancient places and undoubted Priviledges in the House of Peers 39. Bills in Parliament are not to be brought on by tumultuary clamours and schismatical Terrours and passed when both Houses are sufficiently thinned and over-awed 40. The King beside the grounds he may have in his own judgment has also a most strickt and indispensable Oath upon his Conscience to preserve the Order of Bishops and the Rights of the Church to which most Sacrilegious and abhorred Perjury most unbeseeming a Christian King should he ever by giving his Consent be betrayed he might account it infinitely greater misery than any had or could befall him 41. The King puts much to the adventure who by satisfying the fears and
importunities of unquiet Subjects both to secure his friends and overcome his Enemies to gain the peace of all deprives himself of a sole power to help or hurt any yielding the Militia to be disposed of as the two Houses shall think sit 42. The Militia is the King 's undoubted right no less than the Crown 43. The King should not desire to be safer than he wisheth the Parliament and his People 44. The new modelling of Soveraignty and Kingship makes the Majesty of the Kings of England hang like Mahomet's Tomb by a magnetique Charme between the power and priviledges of the two Houses in an ayery imagination of Regality 45. The Body of Parliament as the Moon from the Sun receiveth its chiefest light from the King 46. Parliament-men may remember that they sit there as their Kings Subjects not Superiours called to be his Counsellors not Dictatours Their summons extends to recommend their advice not to command his duty 47. When the two Houses have once been in the Wardship of Tumults their Propositions are not to be hearkned to until they shall have sued out their livery and effectually redeem'd themselves 48. When the King's judgment tells him that any propositions sent to him are the results of the Major part of their votes who exercise their freedom as well as they have right to sit in Parliament and not before he may expect his own judgment for not speedily and fully concurring with every one of them 49. The King cannot allow the Wisdom of his Parliament such a completeness and inerrability as to exclude himself 50. A Parliament without the concurrent reason of the King cannot beget or bring forth any one complete and authoritative Act of publick Wisdom which makes the Lawes 51. A King may satisfie his Parliament and his People but for fear or flattery to gratifie any Faction how potent soever were to nourish the disease and oppress the body 52. The end of calling a Parliament being to use their advice that sit the King ought to have charity enough to think there are wise men among them and humility enough to think it fit he should in some things hearken to them whose counsel he may want 53. The Suns influence is not more necessary in all Natures productions then the King's concurrence in all Lawes 54. We are to take heed of and beware the old leaven of Innovations masked under the name of Reformation which heaved at and sometime threatned both Prince and Parliament in Queen Elizabeth's and King James's dayes 55. Reason Honour and Safety both of Church and State command the King to chew such morsels as a factious Parliament may present him with before he lets them down 56. The King hath not any ground of credulity to induce him fully to submit to all the desires of those men who will not admit or do refuse and neglect to vindicate the freedom of their own and others sitting and voting in Parliament 57. I know not any such tough and malignant humours in the constitution of the English Church which gentler Applications than those of an Army raised by their Scotch fellow Subjects might not easily remove 58. If the Scotch sole Presbytery were proved to be the only Institution of Jesus Christ yet were it hard to prove that Christ had given Subjects commission by the Sword to set it up in any Kingdom without the Soveraigns consent 59. If Presbytery in the Supremacy of Subjects be an Institution of Christ it is the first and onely point of Christianity that was to be planted and watered with Christian bloud 60. The many learned and pious Churchmen in England who have been alwayes bred up in and conformable to the Government of Episcopacy cannot so soon renounce both their former opinion and practise only because a Party of the Scots will needs by force assist a like Party of English either to drive all Ministers as sheep into the common fold of â—resbytery or destroy them at least fleece them by depriving them of the benefit of their flock 61. What respect and obedience Christ and his Apostles payd to the chief Governours of States where they lived is very clear in the Gospel but that He or they ever commanded to set such a parity of Presbyters and in such a way as some Scots endeavour is not very disputable 62. The Effusions of blood shed for the advancement of Scotch Presbitery runs in a stream contrary to that of the Primitive Planters both of Christianity and Episcopacy which was with patient sheding of their own bloud not violent drawing other mens 63. Wise and learned men think that nothing hath more markes of Schism and Sectarism than the Presbyterian way 64. The Presbyterian Scots are not to be hired at the ordinary rate of Auxiliaries nothing will induce them to engage till those that call them in have pawned their Souls to them by a Solemn League and Covenant 65. Some pretenders of late to Reformation have intended mainly the abasing of Episcopacy into Presbytery and the robbing the Church of its Lands and Revenues 66. The Bishops and Church-men as the fattest Deer must be destroyed when the other Rascal-herd of Schisms Heresies c. being lean may by these men enjoy the benefit of Toleration 67. If the poverty of Scotland might yet the plenty of England cannot excuse the envy and rapine of the Churches Rights and Revenues 68. There is not any exception to which the best Kings may be so liable in the opinion of them who are resolved to oppose them as too great a fixedness in that Religion whose judicious and solid grounds both from Scripture and Antiquity will not give his Conscience leave to approve or consent to those many dangerous and divided Innovations which their bold Ignorance would needs obtrude upon Him and His People 69. There is not such an Oglio or medley of various Religions in the World again as those men entertain in their service who find most fault with the King that adheres to the establishment of the Church without any scruple as to the diversity of their Sects and Opinions 70. It hath been a foul and indeleble shame for such as would be counted Protestants to inforce their Lord and King a declared Protestant to a necessary use of Papists or any other who did but their duty to help Him to defend Himself 71. The Papists have had a greater sense of their Allegeance than many Protestant Professours who seem to have learned and to practise the worst principles of the worst Papists 72. The King is not to justifie beyond humane errours and frailties Himself or his Councellours who may have been subject to some miscarriages yet such as were far more reparable by second and better thoughts than those enormous extravagances wherewith some men have wildred and almost quite lost both Church and State 73. The event of things may make evident to the People That should the King follow the worst Counsels that his worst Counsellours might
in State-affairs so neither should He think any Bishops worthy to sit in the House of Peers who would not vote according to his Conscience 97. The King must in Charity be thought desirous to preserve that Government in its right constitution as a matter of Religion wherein his judgment is fully satisfied that it has of all other both the fullest Scripture-grounds and until the last Century the constant practise of all Christian Churches 98. The King that has no temptation to invite Him to alter the Government of Bishops that He may have a title to their Estates will not easily believe their pretended grounds to any new wayes who desire a change 99. Some there are who by popular heaps of weak light and unlearned Teachers seek to overlay and smother the pregnancy and authority of that power of Episcopal 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 100. The King should have fair grounds both from Scripture Canons and Ecclesiastical examples whereon to state his judgment for Episcopal Government and not permit any policy of State or obstinacy of Will or partiality of Affection either to the Men or their Function to fix Him The Second Century 1. ALL the Churches in the Christian World which Presbyterians or Independants can pretend to are by so much fewer than others governed by Bishops as those in my three Kingdoms will equalize I think if not exceed 2. Oppression will necessarily follow both the Presbyterian parity which makes all Ministers equal and the Independant inferiority which sets their Pastors below the People 3. The Britannike Bishops are as legally invested in their Estates as any who seek to deprive them and they having by no Law been convicted of those crimes which might forfeit their Estates and Livelihoods the King without many personal injustices to many worthy men can give up neither their Order nor Revenue 4. Those Subjects in vain pretend to tenderness of Conscience and Reformation who can at once tell the King That his Coronation-Oath binds Him to consent to whatsoever they shall propound to Him though contrary to all the Rational and Religious freedom which every man ought to preserve and at the same time perswade Him That He must and ought to dispense with and roundly break that part of his oath which binds Him â— agreeable to the best light of Reason and Religion He hath to maintain the Government and Legal Rights of the Church 5. It were strange the King's oath should be valid in that part which both Himself and all men in their own case esteem injurious and unreasonable as being against the very natural and essential liberty of their Souls yet it should be invalid and to be broken in another clause wherein He thinks Himself justly obliged both to God and Man 6. I cannot find that in any Reformed Churches whose patterns are so cryed up and obtruded upon the Churches under my Dominions that either Learning or Religion works of Piety or Charity have so flourished beyond what they have done in my Kingdoms by God's blessing which might make Me believe either Presbytery or Independancy have a more benign influence upon the Church and mens hearts and lives than Episcopacy in its right constitution 7. They who take part with the King in a Civil War have clearly and undoubtedly for their Justification the Word of God and the Lawes of the Land together with their own Oathes all requiring obedience to his just Commands but to none other under Heaven without Him or against Him in the point of raising Armes 8. The King should be well pleased with his Parliaments intentions to reform what the Indulgence of Times and corruption of Manners may have depraved 9. The King may be willing to grant or restore to Presbytery 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 Authority of Episcopacy is neither just as to that ancient Order nor safe for Presbytery nor yet any way convenient for this Church or State 10. The contentions between the Presbyterians and Independants in the Britannike Churches have been the struglings of those twins which one womb enclosed the yonger striving to prevail against the elder What the Presbyterians hunted after the Independants sought and caught for themselves 11. That the Builders of Babel should from division fall to confusion is no wonder but for those that pretend to build Jerusalem to divide their tongues and hands is but an ill Omen and sounds too like the fury of those Zelots whose intestine bitterness and divisions were the greatest occasion of the last fatal destruction of that City 12. The Independants in this seemd more ingenuous than the Presbyterian rigour who sometimes complaining of exacting their conformity to lawes became the greatest exactors of other mens submission to their novel injunctions 13. The King should alwayes wish so well to Parliament and City that He should be sorry to see them do or suffer any thing unworthy such great and considerable bodies in this Kingdom 14. When such Bodies become restive and refractory against Soveraignty the King may be glad to see them scared and humbled by Tumults or otherwise but not broken by that shaking of whom He should never have so ill a thought as to despair of their Loyalty to Him which mistakes may eclipse but He should never believe Malice can quite put out 15. When Parliament or City are not only divided and separated from the King but brought to intestine confusion within themselves He should look upon them as Christ did sometime over Jerusalem as objects of his prayers and tears with compassionate grief as foreseeing those severer scatterings which will certainly befal such as wantonly refuse to be gathered to their duty 16. The best profession of Religion I have ever esteemed that of the Church of England as coming nearest to Gods Word for Doctrine and to the Primitive examples for Government with some little amendment which I have often offered though in vain 17. All the lesser Factions at first were officious servants to Presbytery their great Master till time and military success discovering to each their peculiar advantages invited them to part stakes and leaving the joynt stock of uniform Religion pretended each to drive for their Party the trade of profits and preferments to the breaking and undoing not only of the Church and State but even of Presbytery it self which seemed and hoped at first to have ingrossed all 18. In the administration of Justice the settled Lawes of the Britannike Kingdoms are the most excellent rules the King can govern by which by an admirable temperament give very much to Subjects industry liberty and happiness and yet reserve enough to the Majesty and Prerogative of any King who owns his People as Subjects not as Slaves