I designed T is easie for thee to keep Me safe in the love and confidence of my people nor is it hard for Thee to preserve Me amidst the uniust hatred and iealousies of to many which thou hast suffered so far to prevail upon Me as to be able to pervert and abuse my Acts of greatest Indulgence to them and assurance of them But no favours from Me can make others more guilty then my selfe may be of misusing those many and great ones which Thou O Lord hast conferred on me I beseech thee give ME and them such Repentance as thou wilt accept and such graces as we may not abuse Make me so far happy as to make a right use of others abuses and by their failings of Me to reflect with a reforming displeasure upon my offences against thee So although for my sins I am by other mens sins deprived of thy temporall blessings yet I may be happy to enioy the comfort of thy mercies which often raise â—he greatest Sufferers to be the most glorious Saints 6Vpon his Maiesties retirement from VVestminster WIth what unwillingnesse I withdrew from WESTMINSTER let them judge who unprovided of tackling and victuall are forced to Sea by a storme yet better do so then venture splitting or sinking on a Lee-shore I stayed at White-Hall till I was driven away by shame more then fear to see the barbarous rudenesse of those Tumults who resolved they would take the boldnesse to demand any thing and not leave either My self or the Members of Parliament the liberty of our Reason and Conscience to deny them any thing Nor was this intollerable oppression my case alone though cheifly Mine For the Lords and Commons might be content to be over-voted by the Major part of their Houses when they had used each their owne freedome Whose agreeing Votes were not by any Law or reason conclusive to my Judgement nor can they include or carry with them My consent whom they represent not in any kinde Nor am I further bound to agree with the votes of both Houses then I see them agree with the will of God with my just Rights as a King and the generall good of my people I see that as many men they are seldome of one minde and I may oft see that the major part of them are not in the right I had formerly declared to sober and moderate mindes how desirous I was to give all just content when I agreed to so many Bills which had been enough to secure and satisfie all If some mens Hydropick insatiablenesse had not learned to thirst the more by how much more they drank whom no fountaine of Royall bounty was able to overcome so resolved they seemed either utterly to exhaust it or barbarously to obstruct it Sure it ceases to be Councell when not reason is used as to men to perswade but force and terrour as to beasts to drive and compell men to assent to what ever tumultuary patrons shall project Hee deserves to be a slave without pitty or redemption that is content to have the rationall soveraignty of his Soule and liberty of his will and words so captivated Nor do I think my Kingdoms so considerable as to preserve them with the forfeiture of that freedom which cannot be denyed me as a King because it belongs to me as a man and a Christian owning the dictates of none but God to be above me as obliging me to consent Better for me to die enjoying this Empire of my soul which subjects Me only to God so farre as by Reason or Religion he directs me then live with the Title of a King if it should carry such a vassallage with it as not to suffer Me to use My Reason and Conscience in which I declare as a King to like or dislike So far am I from thinking the Majesty of the Crown of England to be bound by any Coronation Oath in a blind and bruitish formality to consent to what ever its subjects in Parliament shall require as some men will needs infer while denying Me any power of a Negative voice as KING they are not ashamed to seek to deprive me of the liberty of using My Reason with a good Conscience which themselves and all the Commons of ENGLAND enjoy proportionable to their influence on the publique who would take it very ill to be urged not to deny what ever my selfe as King or the House of Peers with Mee should not so much desire as enjoyne them to passe I think my Oath fully discharged in that point by my governing only by such Lawes as my People with the House of Peers have chosen and my selfe have consented to I shall never think my selfe conscientiously tied to go as oft against my Conscience as I should consent to such new Proposalls which my Reason in Justice Honour and Religion bids me deny Yet so tender I see some men are of their being subject to Arbitrary Government that is the Law of anothers will to which themselves give no consent that they care not wi h how much dishonour and absurdity they make their King the only man that must be subject to the will of others without having power left Him to use His own Reason either in Person or by any Representation And if my dissentings at any time were as some have suspected and uncharitably avowed out of error opiniativenesse weaknesse or wilfullnesse and what they call Obstinacy in me which not true Judgement of things but some vehement prejudice or passion hath fixed on my mind yet can no man think it other then the Badge and Method of Slavery by savage rudenesse and importunate obtrusions of violence to have the mist of His Errour and Passion dispelled which is a shadow of Reason and must serve those that are destitute of the substance Sure that man cannot be blameable to God or Man who seriously endeavours to see the best reason of things and faithfully followes what Hee takes for Reason The uprightnesse of his intentions will excuse the possible failings of his understanding If a Pilot at Sea cannot see the Pole-star it can be no fault in him to steere his course by such staâ— as do best appear to him It argues rather thosâ— men to be conscious of their defects of Reason and convincing Arguments who call in the assistance of meere force to carry on the weaknesse of their Councells and Proposalls I may in the Truth and Vprightnesse of my heart protest before God and men that I never wilfully opposed or denyed any thing that was in a faiâ— way after full and free debates propounded to me by the two Houses Further then I thought in good reason I might and was bound to do Nor did any thing ever please me more theâ— when my judgement so concurred with theirs that I might with good conscience consent to them yea in many things where not absolutâ— and morall necessity of Reason but temporary convenience in point of honour was to be considered I
chose rather to deny my selfe theâ— them as preferring that which they thought necessary for my peoples good before what I saw but convenient for my self For I can be content to recede much from my owne interests and Personall Rights of whicâ— I conceive my self to be Master but in whaâ— concernes Truth Justice the Right of thâ— Church and My Crowne together with the generall good of My Kingdomes all which I am bound to preserve as much as morally lies in Me here I am and ever shall be fixt and resolute nor shall any man gain My consent to that wherein My Heart gives My tongue or hand the Lie nor will I be brought to affirme that to men which in My Conscience I deny before God I will rather chuse to wear a Crown of Thorns with My Saviour then to exchange that of Gold which is due to me for one of lead whose embassed flexiblenesse shall be forced to bend and comply to the various and oft contrary dictates of any Factions 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 I know no resolutions more worthy a Christian King then to prefer His Conscience before His Kingdomes O my God preserve thy servant in this Native Rationall and Religious freedom For this I believe is thy will that we should maintain who though thou dost iustly require us to submit our understandings wills to thine whose wisdome and goodnes can neither erre nor misguide us and so farre to deny our carnall reason in order to thy sacred mysteries and Commands that we should believe and obey rather then dispute them yet dost thou expect from us only such a reasonable service of thee as not to do any thing for thee against our consciences as to the desires of men enioynest us to try all things by the touch-stone of Reason Laws which are the rules of Civill Justice and to declare our consent to that only which our Judgment approve Thou knowest O Lord how unwilling I was to desert that place in which thou hast set me and whereto the affairs of my Kingdoms at present did call me My People can witness how far I have bin content for their good to deny My Selfe in what thou hast subjected to my disposall O Let not the unthankfull importunities tumultuary violence of some mens immoderate demands ever betray Me to that degenerous unmanly slavery which should make me strengthen them by my consent in those things which I think in my Conscience to be against thy glory the good of my Subiects and the discharge of my owne duty to reason and Justice Make me willÃng to suffer the greatest indignities iniuries they presse upon Me rather then commit the least sinne against my Conscience Let the just liberties of my people be as well they may preserved in fair and equall wayes without the slavery of My Soul Thou that hast invested Me by thy favours in the power of a Christian King suffer me not to subiect My Reason to other mens passions and designs which to Me seem unreasonable unìust and irreligious So shall I serve thee in the truth and uprightnesle of my heart thovgh I cannot satisfie these men Though I be driven from among them yet give Me grace to walk alwayes uprightly before thee Lead Me in the way of Truth and Iustice for these I know will bring Me at last to peace and happinesse with thee though for these I have much trouble among men This I beg of thee for My Saviours sake 7 Vpon the Queenes departure and absence out of England ALthough I have much cause to be troubled at My Wifes departure from Me and out of My Dominions yet not Her absence so much as the scandall of that necessity which drives her away doth afflict Me. That She should be compelled by My own Subjects and those pretending to be Protestants to withdraw for Her safety This being the first example of any Protestant Subjects that have taken up Arms against their King a Protestant For I look upon this now done in England as another Act of the same Tragedie which was lately begun in Sootland the brands of that fire being ill quenched have kindled the like flames here I fear such motions so little to the adorning of the Protestant profession may occasion a farther alienation of mind divorce of affections in her from that religion which is the only thing wherin we differ Which yet God can I pray he would in time take away not suffer these practises to be any obstruction to her judgement since it is the motion of those men for the most part who are yet to seek and settle their Religion for Doctrine Government and good manners and so not to be imputed to the true English Protestants who continue firme to their former setled Principles and Lawes I am sorry My relation to so deserving a Lady should be any occasion of her danger and affliction whose merits would have served her for a protection among the savage Indians while their rudenesse and barbarity knows not so perfectly to hate all Virtues as some mens subtilty doth among whom I yet think few are so malicious as to hate Her for Her self The fault is that She is my Wife All justice then as well as affection commands me to study her security who is only in danger for my sake I am content to be tossed weather-beaten shipwrackt so as she may be in safe Harbour This comfort I shall enjoy by her safety in the midst of My Personal dangers that I can perish but halfe if she be preserved In whose memory and hopefull Posterity I may yet survive the malice of my enemies although they should be satiated with my bloud I must leave Her and them to the love loyalty of my good subjects to his protection who is able to punish the faults of Princes and no lesse severely to reveng the injuries done to Them by those who in all duty and Allegiance ought to have made good that safety which the Lawes chiefly provide for Princes But common civility is in vaine expected from those that dispute their Loyalty Nor can it be safe for any relation to a King to tarry among them who are shaking hands with their Allegiance under pretence of laying faster hold on their Religion 'T is pitty so noble and peacefull a soule should see much more suffer the rudenesse of those who must make up their want of justice with inhumanity and impudence Her sympathy with Me in My afflictions will make her vertues shine with greater lustre as stars in the darke st nights assure the envious world that she loves me not my fortunes Neither of us but can easily forgive since we do not much blame the unkindnesse of the Generality and Vulgar for we see God is pleased to try both our patience by the
to in their opinion as too great a fixednes in that Religion whose judicious solid grounds both from Scripture and Antiquity wil not give My Conscience leave to approve or consent to those many dangerous and divided Innovations which the bold Ignorance of some men would needs obtrud upon me my people Contrary to those well tried foundations both of Truth and Order which men of far greater Learning and clearer Zeal have setled in the Confession and Constitution of this Church in England which many former Parliaments in the most calme and unpassionate times have oft confirmed In which I shall ever by Gods help persevere as believing it hath most of Primitive Truth and Order Nor did My using the assistance of some Papists which were my Subjects any way fight against My Religion as some men would needs interpret it especially those who least of all men cared whom they imployed or what they said or did so they might prevaile 'T is strange that so wise men as they would be esteemed should not conceive That differences of perswasion in matters of Religion may easily fall out where there is the fameness of duty Allegiance and subjection The first they owe as men and Christians to God the second they owe to Me in Common as their King different professions in point of Religion cannot any more than in Civill Trades take away the community of relations either to Parents or to Princes And where is there such an Oglio or medley of various Religions in the world again as those men entertaine in their service who find most fault with me without any scruple as to the diversity of their Sects and Opinions It was indeed a foule and indelible shame for such as would be counted Protestants to enforce Me a declared Protestant their Lord King to a necessary use of Papists or any other who did but their duty to help Me to defend My selfe Nor did I more than is lawfull for any King in such exigents to use the aid of any his Subjects I am sorry the Papists should have a greater sense of their Allegiance than many Protestant professors who seem to have learned to practise the worst principles of the worst Papists Indeed it had bin a very impertinent and unseasonable scruple in Me and very pleasing no doubt to My enemies to have been then disputing the points of different beliefs in My Subjects when I was disputed with by swords points and when I needed the help of My Subjects as men no lesse then their prayers as Christians The noise of My Evill Councellours was another usefull device for those who were impatient any mens counsels but their owne should be followed in Church or State who were so eager in giving Me better counsel that they would not give Me leave to take it with freedome as a Man or honour as a King making their counsels more like a drench that must be powred down then a draught which might be fairly and leisurely drank if I liked it I will not justifie beyond humane errours and frailties My selfe or My Counsellours They might be subject to some miscariages yet such as were far more reparable by second and better thoughts than those enormous extravagances where with some men have now even wil dred and almost quite lost both Church and State The event of things at last will make it evident to My Subjects that had I followed the worst Couucels that My worst Counsellours ever had the boldnesse to offer to Me or My self any inclination to use I could not so soon have brought both Church and State in three flourishing Kingdomes to such a Chaos of confusions and Hell of miseries as some have done out of which they cannot or will not in the midst of their many great advantages redeeme either Me or My Subjects No men were more willing to complaine than I was to redresse what I saw in Reason was either done or advised amisse and this I thonght I had done even beyond the expectation of moderate men who were sorry to see me prone even to injure My self out of a Zeal to releive my Subjects But other mens insatiable desire of revenge upon Me My Court and My Clergy hath wholly beguiled both Church and State of the benefit of all My either Retractations or Concessions withall hath deprived all those now so zealous Persecutors both of the comfort reward of their former pretended persecutions wherein they so much gloryed among the vulgar and which indeed a truly humble Christian will so highly prize as rather not be relieved then be revenged so as to be bereaved of that Crowne of christian Patience which attends humble injured sufferers Another artifice used to withdraw My Peoples affections from Me to their designes was The noise and ostentation of liberty which men are not more prone to desire then unapt to bear in the popular sense which is to do what every man likes best If the Divinest liberty be to will what men should to do what they so will according to Reason Lawes and Religion I envy not My subjects that Liberty which is all I desire to enjoy My self So far am I from the desire of oppressing theirs Nor were those Lords Gentlemen which assisted Me so prodigall of their liberties as with their Lives and Fortunes to help on the enslaving of themselves and their posterities As to Civill Immunities none but such as desire to drive on their Ambitious and Covetous designes over the ruines of Church and State Prince Peers and People wil never desire greater freedoms then the Laws alow whose bounds good men count their Ornament protection others their Menacles and Opression Nor is it just any man should expect the reward benefit of the Law who despiseth its rule and direction losing justly his safety while he seeks an unreasonable liberty Time will best inform my Subjects that those are the best preserver of their true liberties who allow themselves the least licentiousness against or beyond the Laws They will feele it at last to their cost that it is impossible those men should be really tender of their fellow-Subjects libertyes who have the hardinesse to use their King with so severe restraint against all Laws both Divine and Humane under which yet I wil rather perish then complain to those who want nothing to compleat their mirth and triumph but such musick In point of true consciencious tendernes attended with humility and meeknes not with proud arrogant activity which seeks to hatch every Egge of different opinion to a Faction or Schisme I have oft declared how little I desire My Laws and Scepter should intrench on Gods Soveraignty which is the only King of mens Consciences and yet he hath laid such restraints upon men as commands them to be subject for Conscience sake giving no men liberty to break the Law established further then with meeknes and patience they are content to suffer the penalties
than from those who engage into religious Rebellion Their interest is alwaies made Gods under the colours of Piety ambitious policies march not only with greatest security but applause as to the populacy you may heare from them Iacob's voyce but you shall feel they have Esau's hands Nothing seemed lesse considerable then the Presbyterian Faction in England for many yeeres so compliant they were to publique order nor indeed was their party great either in Church or State as to mens judgments But as soon as discontents drave men into Sidings as ill humors fall to the dissaffected part which causes inflamations so did all at first who affected any novelties adhere to that Side as the the most remarkable and specious note of difference then in point of Religion All the lesser Factions at first were officious Servants to Presbytery their great Masters till time and military successe 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 preferments to the breaking and undoing not only of the Church and State but even of Presbytery it Selfe which seemed and hoped at first to have ingrosed all Let nothing seem little or despicable to you in matters which concern Religion the churches peace so as to neglect a speedy reforming an effectuall suppressing Errours and Schisms which seem at first but as a hand bredth by seditious Spirits as by strong winds are soon made to cover and darken the whole Heaven VVhen you have done justice to God your owne soule and his Church in the profession and preservation both of truth and unity in Religion the next maine hinge on which your prosperity will depend and move is that of civil Justice wherein the setled Lawes of these Kingdomes to which you are rightly Heire are the most excellent rules you can governe by which by an admirable temperament give very much to Subjects industry liberty and happinesse and yet reserve enough to the Majesty and prerogative of any King who ownes his People as Subjects not as Slaves whose subjection as it preserves their property peace and safety so it will never diminish your rights nor their ingenuous Liberties which consists in the enjoyment of the fruits of their industry and the benefit of those Lawes to which themselves have consented Never charge your head with such a Crown as shall by its heavinesse oppresse the whole body the weaknesse of whose parts cannot returne any things of strength honour or safety to the head but a necessary debiliatation and ruine Your Prerogative is best shewed and exercised in remitting rather then exacting the rigor of the Lawes there being nothing worse than legall Tyranny In these two points the preservation of established Religion and Lawes I may without vanity turn the reproach of My sufferings as to the worlds censure into the honour of a kind of Martyrdome as to the testimony of my own Conscience The Troublers of My Kingdomes have nothing else to object against Me but this That I preferre Religion and Laws established before those alterations they propounded And so indeed I doe and ever shall till I am convinced by better Arguments then what hitherto hath been chiefly used towards Me Tumults Armies and Prisons I cannot yet learne that lesson nor I hope ever will you That it is safe for a King to gratifie any Faction with the perturbation of the Laws in which is wrapt up the publick Interest and the good of the Community How God will deal with Me as to the removal of these pressures and indignities which his justice by the very unjust hands of some of My Subjects hath been pleased to lay upon Me I cannot tell nor am I much solicitous what wrong I suffer from men while I retaine in My foule what I beleive is right before God I have offered all for Reformation and Safety that in Reason Honour and Conscience I can reserving only what I cannot consent unto without an irreparable injury to My owne Soule the Church and My People and to You also as the next and undoubted Heire of My Kingdoms To which if the divine Providence to whom no difficulties are insuperable shall in his due time after My decease bring you as I hope he will My counsell and charge to You is That You seriously consider the former reall or objected miscarriages which might occasion My troubles that you may avoid them Never repose so much upon any mans single councell fidelity and discretion in managing affairs of the first magnitude that is matters of Religion and Justice as to create in Your selfe or others a diffidence of Your own judgement which is likely to be alwayes more constant and impartiall to the interests of your Crowne and Kingdom then any mans Next beware of exasperating any Factions by the crosnesse and asperity of some mens passions humours and private opinions imployed by You grounded onely upon the differences in lesser matters which are but the skirts subbâ—rbs of religion Wherein a charitable connivence and Christian toleration often dissipates their strength whoÌ„ rougher opposition fortifies and puts the despised and oppressed 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 al that are said to suffer under the notion of Religon Provided the differences amount not to an insolent opposition of Laws and Government or Religion established as to the essentials of them such motions and minings are intollerable Alwaies keep up solid piety and those fundamentall Truths which mend both hearts and lives of men with impartiall favour and justice Take heed that outward circumstances and formalities of Religion devour not all or the best encouragements of learning industry and piety but with an equall eye and impartiall hand distribute favours and rewards to all men as you find them for their reall goodnesse both in abilities and fidelity worthy and capable of them This will be sure to gaine You 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 virtue at any time sweetned by temporall rewards I have you see conflicted with different and opposite Factions for so I must needs call and count all those that Act not in any conformity to the Lawes established in Church and State no sooner have they by force subdued what they counted their Common Enemy that is all those that have adheered to the Lawes and to Mee and are secured from that fear but they are divided to so high a rivarly as sets them more at defiance against each other than against their first Antagonists Time will dissipate all factions when once the rough horns of private mens covetous and ambitious designes shall discover themselves which were at first wrapt up and hidden under the soft and
smooth pretensions of Religion Reformation and Liberty As the Wolfe is not lesse cruell so he will be more justly hated when he shall appear no better than a Wolf under Sheeps cloathing But as for the seduced Train of the Vulgar who in their simplicity follow those disguises My charge and councel to You is That as You need no palliations for any designes as other men so that you study really to exceed in true and constant demonstrations of goodnesse piety and virtue towards the People even all those men that make the greatest noise ostentations of Religion so You shall neither fear any detection as they doe who have but the face and mask of goodnesse nor shall You frustrate the just expectations of Your People who cannot in reason promise themselves so much good from any subjects noveltis as from the vertuous constancy of their King VVhen these mountains of congealed factions shall by the sunshine of Gods mercy and the splendour of your virtues be thawed and dissipated and the abused Vulgar shall have learned that none are greater Oppressours of their Estates Liberties and Consciences than those men that entitle themselves The Patrons and Vindicators of them onely to usurp power over them Let then no passion betray You to any study of revenge upon those whose own sinne and folly will sufficiently punish them in due time But as 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 equall the angnish of the hurt I have offered Acts of Indempnity and Oblivion to so great a latitude as may include all that can but suspect themselves to be any way obnoxious to the Laws and which might serve to exclude all future Jealousies and securities I would have You alwayes propense to the same way when ever it shall be desired and accepted let it be granted not only as an Act of State-policy and necessity but of Christian charity and choice It is all I have now left Me a power to forgive those that have deprived Me of all and I thank God I have a heart to do it and joy as much in this grace which God hath given Me as in all My former enjoyments for this is a greater argument of Gods love to Me than any prosperity can be Be confident as I am that the most of all sides who have don amisse have don so not out of malice but mis-information or mis-apprehension of things None will be more loyall and faithfull to Me and you than those Subjects who sensible of their Errours and our injuries will feel in their own Soules most vehement motives to repentance and earnest desires to make some reparations for their former defects As Your quality sets You beyond any Duell with any Subject so the Noblenesse of Your mind must raise you above the meditating any revenge or executing Your anger upon the many The more conscious You shall be to Your own merits upon your People the more prone You will be to expect all love and loyalty from them and to inflict no punishment upon them for former miscarriages You will have more inward complacency in pardoing one than in punishing a thousand This I write to you not despairing of Gods mercy My Subjects affections towards you both which I hope you wil study to deserve yet we cannot merit of God but by his own mercy If God shall see fit to restore Me and You after Me to those enjoyments which the Lawes have assigned to Us and no Subjects without an high degree of guilt and sinne can devest us of then may I have better opportunity when I shal be so happy to see you in peace to let you more fully understand the things that belong to Gods glory your own honour and the kingdoms peace But if You never see My face againe and God will have Me buried in such a barbarous Imprisonment and obscurity which the perfecting some mens designes require wherein few hearts that love me are permitted to exchange a word or a look with Me I do require entreat You as Your Father and Your King that You never suffer Your heart to receive the least check against or disaffection from the true Religion established in the Church of England I tell You I have tried it and after much search and many disputes have concluded it to be the best in the world not only in the Community as Christian but also in the speciall notion as Reformed keeping the middle way between the pomp of superstitious Tyranny and the meannesse of fantastique Anarchy Not but that the draught being excellent as to the maine both for Doctrine and Government in the Church of England some lines as in very good figures may happily need some sweetning or pollishing which might here 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 The scandall of the late troubles which some may object and urge to you against the Protestant Religion established in England is easily Answered to them or Your owne thoughts in this That scarce any one who hath been a Beginner or an active prosecutor of this late VVarre against the Church the Lawes and Me either was or is a true Lover Embracer or Practiser of the Protestant Religion established in England which neither give such rules nor ever before set such examples 'T is true some heretofore had the boldnesse to present threatning Petitions to their Princes and Parliaments which others of the same Faction but of worse Spirits have now put in execution but let not counterfeit and disorderly zeal abate Your value and esteem of true piety both of them are to be known by their fruits the sweetnesse of the Vine Fig-tree is not to be despised though the Brambles Thorns should pretend to bear Figs and Grapes thereby to rule over the Trees Nor would I have You to entertaine any aversation or dislike of Parliaments which in their right constitution with Freedome and Honour will never injure or diminish Your greatnesse but will rather be as interchangings of love loyalty and confidence between a Prince and His People Nor would the events of this blacke Parliament have been other then such however much biassed by Factions in the Elections if it had heen preserved from the insolencyes of popular dictates and tumultuary impressions The sad effects of which will no doubt make all Parliaments after this more cautious to preserve that Freedome and Honour which belongs to such Assemblies when once they have fully shaken off this yoke of Vulgar encroachment since the publique interest consists in the mutuall and common good both of Prince and People Nothing can be more happy for all than in faire grave and Honourable waies to contribute their Counsels in Common enacting all things by publique
consent without tyranny or Tumults We must not starve our selves because some men have surfeited of wholsome food And if neither I nor You be ever restored to Our Rights but God in his severest justice will punish My Subjects with continuance in their sinne and suffer them to be deluded with the prosperity of their wickednesse I hope God will give Me and You that grace which will teach and enable Vs to want as well as to weare a Crowne which is not worth taking up or enjoying upon sordid dishonourable and irreligious terms Keep you to true principles of piety virtue and honour you shall never want a Kingdom A principall point of your honour will consist in your deferring all respect love and protection to your Mother My Wife who hath many waies deserved well of Me and chiefly in this that having beene a meanes to blesse Me with so many hopefull Children all which with their Mother I recommend to your love and care She hath been content with incomparable magnanimity and patience to suffer both for and with Me and you My prayer to God Almighty is what ever becomes of Me who am I thank God wrapt up and fortified in My owne Innocency and his grace that he would be pleased to make you an Anchor or Harbour rather to these tossed and weather-beaten Kingdomes a Repairer by your wisdome Iustice piety and valour of what the folly and wickednesse of some mâ—n have so farre ruined as to leave nothing entire in Church or State to the Crowne the Nobility the Clergy or the Commons either as to Lawes Liberties Estates Order Honour Conscience or Lives When they have destroyed Me for I know not how farre God may permit the malice and cruelty of My Enemies to proceed and such apprehensions some mens words and actions have already given Me as I doubt not but My bloud will crie aloud for vengeance to heaven so I beseech God not to poure out his wrath upon the generality of the people who have either deserted Me or engaged against Me through the artifice and hypocrisie of their Leaders whose inward horrour will be their first Tormenter nor will they escape exemplary judgements For those that loved Me I pray God they may have no misse of Me when I am gone so much I wish and hope that all good Subjects may be satisfyed with the blessings of Your presence virtues For those that repent of any defects in their duty toward Me as I freely forgive them in the word of a Christian King so I beleive You will find them truly zealous to repay with interest that Loyalty and love to you which was due to Me. In summe what good I intended do you performe when God shall give You power much good I have offered more I purposed to church and State if times had been capable of it The deception will soon vanish and the Vizards will fall off apace This maske of Religion on the face of Rebellion for so it now plainly appears since My restraint and cruell usage that they fought not for Me as was pretended will not long serve to hide some mens deformities Happy times I hope attend you wherein Your Subjects by their miseries will have learned That Religion to their God and Loyalty to their King cannot be parted without both their sin their infelicity And if God blesse You and establish your Kingdomes in righteousnesse your Soule in true Religion and your honour in the love of God and your People And if God will have disloyalty perfected by My destruction let My memory ever with My name live in You as of your Father that loves you and once a KING of three flourishing Kingdomes whom God thought fit to honour not only with the Scepter and government of them but also with the suffering many indignities and an untimely death for them while I studied to preserve the rights of the Church the power of the Lawes the honour of My Crown the priviledge of Parliaments the liberties of My People and My owne Conscience which I thank God is dearer to Me than a thousand Kingdomes I know God can I hope he yet will restore Me to My Rights I cannot despaire either of his mercy or of My Peoples love and pity At worst I trust I shall but go before you to a better Kingdome which God hath prepared for Me and Me for it through My Saviour Jesus Christ to whose mercies I commend you and all mine Farewell till we meet if not on Earth yet in Heaven Meditations upon Death after the Votes of Non-Addresses and His Maiesties Closer Jmprisonment in Carisbrooke-Castle AS I have leisure enough so I have cause more than enough to meditate upon prepare for My Death for I know there are but few steps between the Prisons and grave of Princes It is Gods indulgence which gives Me the space but Mans cruelty that gives Me the sad occasions for these thoughts For besides the common burden of mortality which lies upon Me as a Man I now bear the heavy load of other mens ambitions fears jealousies and cruell passions whose envy or enmity against Me makes their owne lives seem deadly to them while I enjoy any part of Mine I thank God My prosperity made Me not wholly a Stranger to the contemplations of mortality Those are never unseasonable since this is alwayes uncertain Death being an eclipse which oft happineth as well in clear as cloudy dayes But My now long and sharp adversity hath so reconciled in Me those naturall Antipathies between Life and Death which are in all men that I thank God the common terrours of it are dispelled and the speciall horour of it as to My particular much allayed for although my death at present may justly be represented to Me with all those terrible aggravations which the policy of cruel and implacable enemies can put upon it affaires being drawne to the very dregs of malice yet I blesse God I can look upon all those stings as unpoysonous though sharp since My Redeemer hath eith er pulled them out or given Me the Antidote of his death against them which as to the immaturity unjustice shame scorn and cruelty of it exceeded what ever I can fear Indeed I never did find so much the life of Religion the feast of a good Conscience and the brazen wall of a judicious integrity and constancy as since I came to these closer conflicts with the thoughts of Death I am not so old as to be weary of life nor I hope so bad as to be either afraid to dye or ashamed to live true I am so afflicted as might make Me sometime even desire to die if I did not consider that it is the greatest glory of christians life to dye daily in conquering by a lively faith and patient hopes of a better life those partiall and quotidian deaths which kills us as it were by peicemeales and make us over-live our own FATES while we are deprived of health
honour liberty power credit safety or estate those other comforts of dearest relations which are as the life of our lives Though as a KING I think My selfe to live in nothing temporall so much as in the love and good-will of My People for which as I have suffered many deaths so I hope I am not in that point as yet wholly dead notwithstanding My Enemies have used all the poyson of falsity and violence of hostility to destroy first the love and Loyalty which is in My Subjects and then all that content of life in Me which from these I chiefly enjoyed Indeed they have left Me but little of life and only the husk and shell as it were which their further malice and cruelty can take from Me having bereaved Me of all those worldly comforts for which life it selfe seems desirable to men But O My Soule think not that life too long or tedious wherein God gives thee any opportunities if not to doe yet to suffer with such Christian patience and magnanimity in a good Cause a sare the greatest honour of our lives and the best improvement of our deaths I know that in point of true Christian valour it argues pusillanimity to desire to die out of wearinesse of life and a want of that heroick greatnesse of spirit which becomes a Christian in the patient and generous sustaining those afflictions which as shaddows necessarily attend us while we are in this body and which are lessened or enlarged as the Sun of our prosperity moves higher or lower whose totall absence is best recompensed with the dew of Heaven The assaults of affliction may be terrible like Sampson's Lyon but they yeeld much sweetnesse to those that dare to encounter and overcome them who know how to overlive the witherings of their Gourds without discontent or peevishnesse while they may yet converse with God That I must dye as a man is certain that I may dye a King by the hands of My own Subjects a violent sodain barbarous death in the strength of my years in the midst of My Kingdoms My Friends and loving Subjects being helples Spectators My Enemies insolent Revilers and Triumphers over me living dying dead is so probable in humane reason that God hath taught me not to hope otherwise as to mans cruelty however I despair not of Gods infinite marcy I know my life is the object of the Devils wicked mens malice but yet under Gods sole custody and disposall Whom I do not think to flatter for longer life by seeming prepared to dye but I humbly desire to depend upon him and to submit to his will both in Life and death in what order soever he is pleased to lay them out to me I confesse it is not easie for me to contend with those many horrors of death wherewith God suffers me to be tempted which are equally horrid either in the suddennesse of a barbarous Assasination or in those greater formalities whereby my Enemies being more solemnly cruell will it may be seek to add as those did who Crucified Christ the mockery of Justice to the cruelty of malice That I may be destroyed as with greater pomp and artifice so with les pitty it wil be but a necessary pollicy to make my death appeare as an act of Justice don by Subjects upon their Soveraigne who know that no Law of God or Man invests them with any power of Judicature without me much lesse against me and who being sworn and bound by all that is sacred before God and Man to endeavour my preservation must pretend Justice to cover their perjury It is indeed 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 Soveraigne wherein those who have had the chiefest hand and are most guilty of contriving the publike Troubles must by shedding my blood seem to wash their owne hands of that innocent bloud whereof they are now most evidently guilty before God and Man and I beleive in their own Consciences too while they carried on unreasonable Demands First by Tumults after by Armies Nothing makes meane spirits more towardly-cruel in managing their usurped power against their lawfull Superiours than this the Guilt of their uniust Usurpation notwithstanding those specious and popular pretensions of Justice against Delinquents applyed only to disguize at first the monstrousnesse of their designs who despaired indeed of possessing the power and profits of the Vineyeard till the heire whose right it is be cast out and slaine With them my greatest fault must be that I would not either destroy My selfe with the Church and State by my Word or not suffer them to do it unresisted by the Sword whose covetous ambition no Concessions of Mine could ever yet either satisfie or abate Nor is likely they will ever think that Kingdome of brambles which some men seek to erect at once weak sharp and fruitlesse either to God or Man is like to thriue till watred with the Royal bloud of those whose right the Kingdom is Wel Gods will be don I doubt not but my Innocency will find him both my protectour and my Advocate who is my only Iudge whom I owne as King of Kings not onely for the eminency of his power and Majesty above them but also for that singular care and protection which he hath over them who knows them to be exposed to as many dangers being the greatest Patrons of Law Justice Order Religion on earth as there be either men or Devills which love confusion Nor will he suffer those Men long to prossper in their Babel who build it with the bones and cement it with the bloud of their Kings I am confident they will find Avengers of my death amongst themselves the injuries I have susteined from them shall be first punished by them who agreed in nothing so much as in opposing Me. Their impatience to bear the loud cry of My bloud shall make them thinke no way better to expiate it than by shedd ing theirs who with them most thirsted after Mine The sad confusions following my destruction are already presaged and confirmed to Me by those I have lived to see since My troubles in which God alone who only could hath many wayes pleaded my cause not suffering them to go unpuin shed whose confederacy in sin was their only security who have cause to fear that God wil both further divide and by mutual vengeance afterwards destroy them My greatest conquest of Death is from the power and love of Christ who hath swallow'd up death in the Victory of his Resurrection and the glory of his Ascention My next comfort is that he gives me not onely the honour to imitate his example in suffering for righteousnesse sake though obscured by the foulest charges of Tyranny and injustice but also that charity which is the noblest revenge upon and victory over My Destroyers By which I thank God
an account of every evill anâ— idle word in private at thy tribunall Lord maâ— me carefull of those solemne Declarations of mâ— minde which are like to have the greatest influent upon the Publique either for woe or weale The lesse others consider what they aske make 〈◊〉 the more solicitous what I answer Though Mine owne and My Peoples pressurâ— are grievous and peace would be very pleasing yet Lord never suffer Me to avoid the one or purchase the other with the least expense or wasteâ— My Conscience whereof thou O Lord oneâ— art deservedly more Master then My selfe 12 Vpon the Rebellion and troubles in Ireland THe Commotions in Ireland were so sudden and so violent that it was hard at first either to discerne the rise or apply a remedy to that precipitant rebellion Indeed that Sea of bloud which hath there bin cruelly barbarously shed is enough to drown any man in eternall both infamy and misery whom God shall find the malicious Author or Instigator of its effusion It fell out as a most unhappy advantage to some mens malice against me that when they had impudence enough to lay any thing to my charge this bloudy opportunity should be offered them with which I must be aspersed Although there was nothing which could be more abhorred to me being so full of sin against God disloyalty to my selfe and destructive to my Subjects Some men took it very ill not to be believed when they affirmed that what the Irish Rebells did was done with my privitie at least if not by my Commission But these knew too well â—hat it is no newes for some of my Subjects to â—ight not only without my Commission but against my Command and Person too yet all the while to pretend they fight by my Authoriâ—y and for my safety I would to God the Irish had nothing to a ledge for their imitation against those who blame must neede be the greater by how muâ— Protestant Principles are more against all Râ—bellion against Princes then those of Papiâ— Nor wil the goodnes of mens intentions excâ— the scandall contagion of their Examples But who ever fail of their Duty toward me must bear the blame this Honour my Enemiâ— have always don me to think moderate injuriâ— not proportionate to me nor competent trialâ— either of my patience under them or my pardâ— of them Therefore with exquisite malice they haâ— mixed the gall vinegar of falsity contemâ— with the cup of My Afflicton Charging Me 〈◊〉 only with untruths but such as wherein I haâ— the greatest share of losse dishonour by whâ— is committed whereby in all Policy Reasoâ— and religion having least cause to give the leâ— consent and most grounds of utter detestation might be represented by them to the world 〈◊〉 more inhumane barbarous Like some Câ— clopick monster whom nothing will serve to 〈◊〉 and drink but the flesh and bloud of my owâ— Subjects in whose common welfare my inâ—rest lies as much as som mens doth in their peâ—turbations who think they cannot do well 〈◊〉 in evill times nor so cunningly as in laying 〈◊〉 odium of those sad events on others where wâ— themselves are most pleas'd whereof they haâ— bin not the least occasion And certainly t is thought by many wife men that the preposterous rigour and unreasonable severity which some men carried before them in England was not the least incentive that kindled and blew up into those horrid flames the sparks of discontent which wanted not pre-disposed fewell for Rebellion in Ireland where despaire being added to their former discontents and the fears of utter extirpation to their wonted oppressions it was easie to provoke to an open Rebellion a people prone enough to break out to all exorbitant violence both by some Principles of their Religion and the naturall desires of liberty both to exempt themselves from their present restraints and to prevent those after rigours wherewith they saw themselves apparently threatned by the covetous zeal and uncharitable fury of some men who think it a great argument of the Truth of their Religion to endure no other but their own God knowes as I can with Truth wash my hands in Innocency as to any guilt in that rebellion so I might wash them in my Tears as to the sad apprehensions I had to see it spread so farre and make such waste And this in a time when distractions and jealousies here in Eugland made most men rather intent to their owne safety or designes they were driving then to the reliefe of those who were every day inhumanely butchered in IRELAND Whose â—eares and bloud might if nothing else have quenched or at least for a time repressed aâ— smothered those sparks of Civill dissentions 〈◊〉 Jealousies which in England some men moâ— industriously scattered I would to God no man had been lesse affectâ— with Irelands sad estate than my self I offerâ— to go my self in Person upon that expedition But some men were either afraid I should haâ— any one Kingdome quieted or loath they weâ— to shoot at any mark here lesse then my selfâ— or that any shonld have the glory of my destrâ—ction but themselves Had my many offers bâ— accepted I am confident neither the ruine hâ— bin so great nor the calamity so long nor tâ— remedy so desperate So that next to the sin of those who began thâ— Rebellion theirs must needs be who either hiâ—dred the speedy suppressing of it by domestiâ— dissentions or diverted the Aides or exasperâ—ted the Rebells to the most desperate resoluâ—ons and actions by threatning al extremities nâ— only to the known heads chief incendiaryâ— but even to the whole community of that Naâ—on Resolving to destroy Root and Branch Meâ— Women and Children without any regard 〈◊〉 those usuall pleas for mercy which Couquâ—rours not wholly barbarous are wont to heaâ— from their owne breasts in behalfe of thosâ— whose oppressive fears rather then their mâ— lice engaged them or whose imbecility fâ— Sex and Age was such as they could neithâ— lift up a hand against them nor distinguish between their right hand their left Which preposterous and I think un-evangelical Zeale is too like that of the rebuked Disciples who would go no lower in their revenge then to call for fire from Heaven upon whole Cityes for the repulse or neglect of a few or like that of Iacobs sons which the Father both blamed and cursed chusing rather to use all extremityes which might drive men to desperate obstinacy then to apply moderate remedies such as might punish some with exemplary justice yet disarm others with tenders of mercy upon their submission our protection of them from the fury of those who would soon drown them if they refused to swim down the popular stream with them But some kind of Zeal counts all merciful moderation luke-warmnesse and had rather be cruell then counted cold is not seldome more greedy to kill the Bear for his skin then for any harm
above mine Own the salvations of mens souls above the presevation of their Bodies and Estates Nor may any men I think without sinne and presumption forcibly endeavour to cast the Churches under my care and tuition into the moulds they have fancied and fashioned to their designes till they have first gained my consent and resolved both my own and other mens Consciences by the strength of their reasons Other violent motions which are neither Manly Christian nor Loyall shall never either shake or settle my religion nor any mans else who knowes what Religion means and how farre it is removed from all Faction whose proper engine is force the arbitrator of beasts noâ— of reasonable men much lesse of humble Christians and loyall Subjects in matters of religion But 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 gaine to recompence their losses and hazards Yet I was not more scandalized at the Scots Armies comming in against my will and their forfeiture of so many obligations of duty and gratitude to me then I wondred how those here could so much distrust Gods assistance who so much pretended Gods cause to the People as if they had the certainty of some divine Revelation considering they were more then competently furnished with my Subjects Armes and Ammunition My Navy by Sea my Forts Castls and Cities by Land But I find that men jealous of tue Jnstifiablenesse of their doings and designes before God never think they have hnmane strength enough to carry their work on seem it never so plausible to the People what cannot be justified in Law or Religion had need be fortified with Power And yet such is the inconstancy that attends all minds engaged in violent motion that whom some of them one while earnestly invite to come into their assistance others of them soone after are weary of and with nauseating cast them out what one Party thought to rivet to a setlednesse by the strength and influence of the Scots that the other rejects and contemnes at once despising the Kirk Government and â—iscipline of the Scots and frustrating the successe of so chargable more then charitable assistance For sure the Church of England might have purchased at a farre cheaper rate the truth and happinesse of Reformed government and discipline if it had been wanting though it had entertained the best Divines of Christendome for their advice in a full and free Synod which I was ever willing to and desirous of that matters being impartially setled might be more satisfactory to all and more durable But much of Gods justice and mans folly will at length be discovered through all the filmes and pretensions of Religion in which Politicians wrap up their designes In vaine do men hope to build their piety on the ruines of Loylty Nor can those confederations or designes 〈◊〉 durable when Subjects make bankrupt of their Allegiance under pretence of setting up a quicker trade for Religion But as my best Subjects of Scotland never deserted Me so I cannot think that the most are gone so far from Me in a prodigality of their love and respects toward Me as to make Me to despair of their return when besides the bonds of nature and Conscience which they have to Me all Reason and true policy will teach them that their chiefest interest consists in their fidelity to the Crown not in their serviceablenesse to any party of the People to a neglect and betraying of My Safety and Honour for their advantages However the lesse cause I have to trust to men the more I shall apply my self to God The Troubles of My Soul are enlarged O Lord bring thou Me out of My distresse Lord direct thy Servant in the wayes of that pious simplicity which is the best policy Deliver Me from the combined strength of those who have so much of the Serpents subtilty that they forget the Doves Innocency Though hand ioyne in hand yet let them not prevaile against My soule to the betraying of My Conscience and Honour Thou O Lord caâ—st turne the hearts of thâ—se Parties in both Nations as thou didst the men of Judah and Israel to restore David with as much loyall Zeal as they did with inconstancy and eagernesse pursve him Preserve the love of thy Truth and uprightnes in me and I shall not despair of My Subjects affections returning towards me Thou canst soone cause the overflowing Seas to ebb and retire back again to the bounds which thou hast appointed for them O my God I trust in thee let me not be ashamed let not my Enemies triumph over me Let them be ashamed who transgress without a cause let them be turned back that persecute my Soule Let integrity and uprightnesse preserve me for I wait on thee O Lord. Redeem thy Church O God out of all its Troubles 14 Vpon the Covenant THe Presbyterian Scots are not to be hired at the ordinary rate of Auxiliarie nothing will induce them to engage till those that call them in have pawned their Soules to them by a Solemne League and Covenant Where many engines of religious and faire pretensions are brought chiefly to batter or rase Episcopacy This they make the grand evill Spirit which with some other Imps purposely added to make it more odious and terrible to the Vulgar must by so solemne a charme and exorcisme be cast out of this Church after more than a thousand yeares possession here from the first plantation of Christianity in this Island and an universall prescription of time practise in all other Churches since the Apostles times till this last Century But no Antiquity must plead for it Presbytery like a young Heyr thinks the Father hath lived long enough and impatient not to be in the Bishops Chair Authority though Lay-men go away with the Revenues all art is used to sink Episcopacy and lanch Presbytery in England which was lately boyed up in Scotland by the like artifice of a Covenant Although I am unsatisfyed with many passages in that covenant some referring to My self with very dubious dangerous limitations yet I chiefly wonder at the designe drift touching the Discipline and Government of the Church and such a manner of carying them on to new ways by Oaths and Covenants where it is hard for men to be engaged by no less then swearing for or against those things which are of no cleare morall necessity but very disputable controverted among learned godly men whereto the application of Oaths can hardly be made and enjoyned with that judgement and certainty in ones self or that charity and candour to others of different opinion as I think Religion requires which never refuses faire and equable deliberations yea dissentings too in matters only probable The enjoyning of oaths upon people must needs in things doubtfull be dangerous as in things unlawfull damnable and no lesse
all men in their own case esteem injurious unreasonable as being against the very natural and essentiall liberty of our souls yet it should be invalid and to be broken in another clause wherein I think my self justly obliged both to God Man Yet upon this Rack chiefly have I been held so long by some mens ambitious covetousnesse and Sacrilegious Cruelty torturing with Me both Church and State in Civill dissentions till I shall be forced to consent and declare that I doe approve what God knowes I utterly dislike and in My Soul abhorre as many wayes highly against Reason Justice and Religion and whereto If I should shamefully and dishonourably give My consent yet should I not by so doing satisfie the divided Interests and Opinions of those Parties which contend with each other as well as both against Me and Episcopacy Nor can My late condesending to the Scots in point of Church-government be rightly objected against Me as an inducement for Me to consent to the like in My other Kingdoms For it should be considered that Episcopacy was not so rooted and setled there as 't is here nor I in that respect so strictly bound to continue it in that Kingdom as in this for what I think in My judgement best I may not think so absolutly necessary for all places and at all times If any shall impute My yeelding to them as My failing and sin I can easily acknowledge it but that is no argument to do so again or much worse I being now more convinced in that point nor indeed hath My yeelding to them bin so happy and successefull as to incourage Me to grant the like to others Did I see any thing more of Christ as to Meeknesse Justice Order Charity and Loyalty in those that pretend to other modes of Government I might suspect My judgement to be biased or fore-stalled with some prejudice wontednes of opinion but I have hitherto so much cause to suspect the contrary in the manners of many of those men that I cannot from them gain the least reputation for their new wayes of Government Nor can I find that in any Reformed Churches whose paterns are so cryed up and obtruded upon the Churches under My Dominion that either Learning or Religion works of Piety or Charity have so flourished beyond what they have done in My Kingdomes by Gods blessing which might make me beleive either Presbytery or Independency have a more benigne influence upon the Church and mens hearts and lives than Episcopacy in its right constitution The abuses of which deserve to be extirpated as much as the use retained for I think it far better to hold to primitive uniform Antiquity than to comply with divided novelty A right Episcopacy would at once satisfie all just desires and interests of good Bishops humble Presbyters and sober people so as Church affairs should be managed neither with tyranny purity nor popularity neither Bishops ejected nor Presbiters despised nor People oppressed And in this integrity both of My judgment Conscience I hope God will preserve Me. For Thou O Lord knowest My uprightnesse and tendernesse as thou hast set me to be a Defender of the Faith and a Protector of thy Church so susser me not by any violence to be overborn against My Conscience Arise O Lord maintaine thine own Cause let not thy Church be deformed as to that Government which derived from thy Apostles hath been retained in purest and primitive times till thâ— Revenues of the Church became the obiect of secular envy which seeks to rob it of all the incouragements of Learning and Religion Make me as the good Samaritan compassionate and helpfull to thy afflicted Church which some men have wounded and robbed others passe by without regard either to pitty or relieve As my power is from thee so give me grace to use it for thee And though I am not suffered to be Master of my other Rights as a KING yet preserve me in that liberty of Reason love of Religion and thy Churches welfare which are fixed in my Censcience as a Christian Preserve from sacrilegious invasions those temporall blessings which thy providence hath bestowed on thy Church for thy glory Forgive their sinnes and errours who have deserved thy iust permission thus to let in the wilde Boar and subtill Foxes to wast and deforme thy Vineyard which thy right hand hath planted and the dew of Heaven so long watred to a happy and flourishing estate O let me not bear the infamous brand to all Posterity of being the the first Christian KING in this Kingdom who should consent to the oppressions of thy Church and the fathers of it whose errours I would rather with Constantine cover with silence and reform with meeknesse than expose their persons and sacred functions to vulgar contempt Thou O Lord seest how much I have suffered with and for thy Church make no long tarrying O my God to deliver hoth me and it from unreasonable men whose counsels have brought forth and continue such violent confusions by a precipitant destroying the ancient boundaries of thy Churches peace thereby letting in all manner of errours schismes and disorders O thou God of order and of truth in thy good time abate the malice aswage the rage and confound all the mischievous devices of thine mine and thy Churches enemies That I and all that love thy Church may sing praises to thee and ever magnifie thy salvation even before the sons of men 18 Vpon Vxbridge-treaty and other Offers made by the King I Look upon the way of Treaties as a retiring from fighting like Beasts to arguing like Men whose strength should be more in their understandings than in their limbs And though I could seldome get opportunities to Treat yet I never wanted either desire or disposition to it having greater confidence of My Reason than My Sword I was so wholly resolved to yeeld to the first that I thought neither My selfe nor others should need to use the second if once we rightly understood each other Nor did I ever think it a diminution of Me to prevent them with Expresses of My desires and even importunities to Treat It being an office not onely of humanity rather to use Reason than Force but also of Christianity to seek peace and ensue it As I was very unwillingly compelled to defend My self with Arms so I very willingly embraced any thing tending to peace The events of all War by the sword being very dubious and of a Civill VVarre uncomfortable the end had hardly recompencing late repairing the mischief of the means Nor did any successe I had ever enhance with Me the price of Peace as earnestly desired by Me as any man though I was like to pay dearer for it then any man All that I sought to reserve was Mine Honour and My Conscience the one I could not part with as a KING the other as a Christian The Treaty at Uxbridge gave the fairest hopes of an hapdy
designes which no doubt many of them by this time discover though they dare not but smother their frustrations and discontents The specious and popular titles of Christs Government Throne Scepter and Kingdome which certainly is not divided nor hath two faces as their Parties now have at least also the noise of a through Reformation these may as easily be fixed on new modells as faire colours may be put to ill-favoured figures The breaking of Church-windowes which Time had sufficiently defaced pulling downe of Crosses which were but civill not Religious marks defacing of the Monuments and Inscriptions of the Dead which served but to put Posterity in mind to thank God for that clearer light wherein they live The leaving of all Ministers to their liberties and private abilities in the Publike 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 The setting forth also of old Catechismes and Confessions of Faith new drest importing as much as if there had been no sound or cleare Doctrine of Faith in this Church before some foure or five yeares consultation had matured their thoughts touching their first Principles of Religion All these and the like are the effects of popular specious and deceitfull Reformations that they might not seem to have nothing to doe and may give some short flashes of content to the Vulgar who are taken with novelties as Children with Babies very much but not very long But all this amounts not to nor can in Justice merit the glory of the Churches thorow Reformation since they leave all things more deformed disorderly and discontented then when they began in point of Piety Morality Charity and good Order Nor can they easilâ— recompense or remedy the inconveniences and mischiefs which they have purchased so dearly and which have and ever will necessarily ensue till due remedies be applied I wish they would at last make it their Unanimous work to doe Gods work and not their owne Had Religion been first considered as it merited much trouble might have been prevented But some men thought that the Government of this Church and State fixed by so many Lawes and long Customes would not run into their new moulds till they had first melted it in the fire of a Civill Warre by the advantages of which they resolved if they prevailed to make my selfe and all my Subjects fall down and worship the Images they should forme and set up If there had been as much of Christs Spirit for meeknesse wisdome and charity in mens hearts as there was of his Name used in the pretensions to reforme all to Christs Rule it would certainly have obtained more of Gods blessing and produced more of Christs Glory the Churches good the Honour of Religion and the Unity of Christians Publique Reformers had need first Act in private and practice that on their owne hearts which they purpose to trie on others for Deformities within will soon betray the pretenders of publike Reformations to such private designs as must needs hinder the publike good I am sure the right Methods of Reforming the Church cannot consist with that of perturbing the Civill State nor can Religion 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 I doubt not but Christs Kingdome may be set up without pulling downe Mine nor will any men in impartiall times appear good Christians that approve not themselves good Subjects Christs Government will confirm Mine not overthrow it since as I own mine from him so I desire to rule for his Glory and his Churches good Had some men truly intended Christ's Government or knew what it meant in their hearts they could never have been so ill-governed in in their words and actions both against me and one another As good ends cannot justifie evill meanes so nor will evill beginnings ever bring forth good conclusions unlesse God by a miracle of Mercy create Light out of Darknesse order out of our confusions and peace out of our passions Thou O Lord who onely canst give us beauty for ashes and Truth for Hypocrisie suffer us not to be miserably deluded with Pharisaicall washings instead of Christian reformings Our greatest deformities are within make us the severest Censurers and first Reformers of our own soules That we may in clearnesse of judgment and uprightnesse of heart be means to reform what is indeed amisse in Church and State Create in us clean hearts O Lord and renew right spirits within us that we may do all by thy directions to thy glory and with thy blessing Pity the deformities which some rash and cruell Reformers have brought upon this Church and State Quench the fires which Factions have kindled under the pretence of Reforming As thou hast shewed the world by their divisions and confusions what is the pravity of some mens intentions and weaknesse of their judgments so bring â—s at last more refined out of these fires by the methods of Christian and charitable Reformations wherein nothing of ambition revenge covetousnesse or srcriledge may have any influence upon their coâ—nsells whom thy providence in just and lawfull wayes shall entrust with so great good and now most necessary work that I and my People may be so blest with inward piety as may best teach us how to use the blessing of outward peace 21. Vpon his Majesties Letters taken and divulged THe taking of my Letters was an opportunity which as the malice of mine enemies could hardly have expected so they knew not how with honour and civility to use it Nor doe I think with sober and worthy minds any thing in them could tend so much to my reproach as the odious divulging of them did to the infamy of the Divulgers the greatest experiments of vertue and noblenesse being discovered in the greatest advantages against an enemy and the greatest obligations being those which are put upon us by them from whom we could least have expected them And such I should have esteemed the concealing of My Papers The freedome and secresie of which commands a civility from all men not wholly barbarous nor is there any thing more inhumane than to expose them to publique view Yet since providence will have it so I am content so much of My heart which I study to approve to Gods omniscience should be discovered to the world without any of those dresses or popular captations which some men use in their Speeches and Expresses I wish my Subjects had yet a clearer sight into my most retired thoughts Where they might discover how they are divided between the love and care I have not more to preserve my owne Rights than to procure their peace and happinesse and that extreme griefe to see them both
deceived and destroyed Nor can any mens malice be gratified further by my Letters than to see my constancie to my VVife the Lawes and Religion Bees will gather Honey where the Spider sucks Poison That I endeavour to avoid the pressures of my Enemies by all fair and just correspondencies no man can blame who loves me or the Common-wealth since my Subjects can hardly be happy if I be miserable or enjoy their peace and liberties while I am oppressed The world may see how soon mens designe like Absoloms is by enormous actions to widen differences and exasperate all sides to such distances as may make all reconciliation desperate Yet I thank God I can not only with patience bear this as other indignities but with Charity forgive them The integrity of my intentions is not jealous of any injury My expressions can doe them for although the confidence of privacy may admit greater freedome in writing such Letters which may be liable to envious exceptions yet the Innocency of my chief purposes cannot be so obtained or mis-interpreted by them as not to let all men see that I wish nothing more than an happy composure of differences with Justice and Honour not more to my own then my Peoples content who have any sparks of Love or Loyalty left in them who by those my Letters may be convinced that I can both mind and act my owne and My Kingdomes Affaires so as becomes a Prince which mine enemies have alwaies been very loath should be believed of me as if I were wholly confined to the Dictates and Directions of others whom they please to brand with the names of Evill Counsellours It 's probable some men will now look upon me as my owne Counsellour and having none else to quarrell with under that notion they will hereafter confine their anger to my selfe Although I know they are very unwilling I should enjoy the liberty of my own Thoughts or follow the light of my owne Conscience which they labour to bring into an absolute captivity to themselves not allowing me to think their Counsells to be other then good for me which have so long maintained a Warre against me The Victory they obtained that day when my Letters became their prize had been enough to have satiated the most ambitious thirst of popular glory among the Vulgar with whom prosperity gaines the greatest esteem and applause as adversity exposeth to their greatest slighting and dis-respect As if good fortuâ—e were alwaies the shadow of Vertue and Justice and did not oftner attend vitious and injurious actions as to this world But I see no secular advantages seem sufficient to that cause which began with Tumults and depends chiefly upon the reputation with the Vulgar They think no Victories so effectuall to their designes as those that most rout and waste my Credit with my People in whose hearts they seek by all meanes to smother and extinguish all sparks of Love Respect and Loyalty to me that they may never kindle againe so as to recover mine the Lawes and the Kingdomes Liberties which some men seek to overthrow The taking away of my Credit is but a necessary preparation to the taking away of my life and my Kingdomes First I must seem neither fit to live nor worthy to Reigne By exquisite methods of cunning and cruelty I must be compelled first to follow the Funeralls of my Honour and then be destroyed But I know Gods un-erring and impartiall justice can and will over-rule the most perverse wills and designes of men He is able and I hope will turn even the worst of mine enemies thoughts and actions to my good Nor doe I think that by the surprize of my Letters I have lost any more than so many Papers How much they have lost of that reputation for Civility and Humanity which ought to be pay'd to all men and most becomes such as pretend to Religion besides that of respect and Honour which they owe to their KING present and after-times will judge And I cannot think that their owne consciences are so stupid as not to inflict upon them some secret impressions of that shame and dishonour which attends all unworthy actions have they never so much of publique flattery and popular countenance I am sure they can never expect the divine approbation of such indecent actions if they doe but remember how God blest the modest respect and filâ—all tendernesse which Noahs Sons bare to their Father nor did his open infirmity justifie Chams impudency or exempt him from that curse of being Servant of Servants which curse must needs be on them who seek by dishonourable actions to please the Vulgar and confirme by ignoble acts their dependance upon the People Nor can their malicious intentions be ever either excusable or prosperous who thought by this meanes to expose me to the highest reproach and contempt of My People forgetting that duty of modest concealment which they owed to the Father of their Country in case they had disovered any reall uncomelinesse which I thank God they did not who can and I believe hath made me more respected in the hearts of many as he did David to whom they thought by publishing my private Letters to have rendred me as a vile Person not fit to be trusted or considered under any notion of Majesty But thou ô Lord whose wise and all-disposing providence ordereth the greatest contingences of humane affairs make me to see the constancy of thy mercies to me in the greatest advantages thou seemest to give the malice of my Enemies against me As thou didst blast the counsell of Achitophel â—urning it to Davids good and his own ruine so so canst thou defeat their designe who intended by publishing my private Letters nothing else but to under me more odious contemptible to my People I must first appeale to thy Omniscience who canst witnesse with my integrity how unjust and â—alse those scandalous misconstructions are which â—y Enemies endeavour by those Papers of mine to â—epresent to the world Make the evill they imagined and displeaâ—â—râ— they intended thereby against me so to 〈◊〉 on their owne heads that they may be ashamed and covered with their owne confusion as with a cloake Thou seest how mine Enemies use all means to cloud mine Honor to pervert my purposes and to slander the footsteps of thine Annointed But give me an heart content to be dishonoured for thy sake and thy Churches good Fix in me a purpose to honour thee and then I know thou wilt honour me either by restoring to me the injoyment of that Power and Majesty which thou hast suffered some men to seeke to deprive me of or by bestowing on me that crowne of Christian patience which knowes how to serve thee in honour or dishonour in good report or evill Thou O Lord art the fountain of goodnesse and honour thou art colathed with excellent Majesty make me to partake of thy excellency for wisdome justice and mercy and I shall not want
good Conscience in me which hath been fought against nor did they ever intend to bring mee to my Parliament till they had brought my mind to their obedience Should I grant what some men desire I should be such as they wish me not more a King and far lesse both Man and Christian What Tumults and Armies could not obtain neither shall Restraint which though it have as little of safety to a Prince yet it hath not more of danger The feare of men shall never be my snare nor shall the love of any liberty entangle my soule Better others betray me than my selfe and that the price of my liberty should be my Conscience the greatest injuries my Enemies seek to inflict upon me cannot be without my own consent While I can deny with Reason I shall defeat the greatest impressions of their malice who neither know how to use worthily what I have already granted nor what to require more of me but this That I would seem willing to help them to destroy my selfe and mine Although they should destroy me yet they shall have no cause to despise me Neither liberty nor life are so dear to me as the peace of my Conscience the Honour of my Crownes and the welfare of my People which my word may injure more than any Warre can doe while I gratifie a few to oppresse all The Lawes will by Gods blessing revive with the love and Loyalty of my Subjects if I bury them not by my Consent and cover them in that grave of dishonour and injustice which some mens violence hath digged for them If my Captivity or Death must be the price of their redemption I grudge not to pay it No condition can make a King miserable which carries not with it his Souls his Peoples and Posterities thraldome After-times may see what the blindnesse of this Age will not and God may at length shew my Subjects that I chuse rather to suffer for them than with them happily I might redeem my self to some shew of liberty if I would consent to enslave them I had rather hazard the ruine of one King than to confirm many Tyrants over them from whom I pray God deliver them what ever becomes of me whose solitude hath not left me alone For thou O God infinitely good and great art with me whose presence is better than life and whose service is perfect freedome Own me for thy servant and I shall never have cause to complain for want of that liberty which becomes a Man a Christian and a King Blesse me still with Reason as a Man with Religion as a Christian and with constancy in justice as a King Though thou sufferest me to be stript of all outward ornaments yet preserve me ever in those enjoyments wherein I may injoy thy self and which cannot be taken from me against my will Let no fire of affliction boile over my passion to any impatience or sordid fears There be many say of me There is no help for me doe thou lift up the light of thy countenance upon me and I shall neither want safety liberty nor majesty Give me that measure of patience and constancy which my condition now requires My strength is scattered my expectation from men defeated my Person restrained ô be not thou far from me lest my Enemies prevaile too much against me I am become a wonder and a scorne to many ô â—e thou my Helper and Defender Shew some token upon me for good that they â—hat hate me may be ashamed because thou Lord hast â—olpen and comforted me establish me with thy free Spirit that I may do and suffer thy will as thou â—ouldst have me Be mercifull to me ô Lord for my soule trusteth in thee yea and in the shadow of thy wings will â— make my refuge untill these calamities be overâ—â—st Arise to deliver me make no long tarrying ô â—y God Though thou killest me yet will I trust in thy mercy and my Saviours merit I know that my Redeemer liveth though thou leadest me through the vale and shadow of death yet shall I fear none ill 24. Vpon their denying His Majesty the Attendance of His Chaplaines VVHen Providence was pleased to deprive Me of all other Civill comforts and secular Attendants I thought the abscence of them all might best be supplied by the attendance of some of my Chaplains whom for their Function I reverence and for their Fidelity I have cause to love By their learning piety and prayers I hoped to be either better enabled to sustaine the want of all other enjoyments or better fitted for the recovery and use of them in Gods good time so reaping by their pious help a spirituall harvest of grace amidst the thornes and after the plowings of temporall crosses The truth is I never needed or desired more the service and assistance of men judiciously pious and soberly devout The solitude they have confined me unto adds the Wildernesse to my temptations for the company they obtrude upon me is more sad than any solitude can be If I had asked my Revenues my Power of the Militia or any one of my Kingdomes it had been no wonder to have been denied in those things where the evill policy of men forbids all just restitution lest they should confesse an injurious usurpation But to deny me the Ghostly comfort of my Chaplaines seemes a greater rigour and barbarity then is ever used by Christians to the meanest Prisoners and greatest Malefactors whom though the justice of the Law deprive of worldly comforts yet the mercy of Religion allows them the benefit of their Clergy as not aiming at once to destroy their Bodies and to damn their Soules But my Agony must not be relieved with the presence of any one good Angell for â—wich I account a Learned Godly and discreet Divine and such I would have all Mine to be They that envy my being a King are loath I â—â—ould be a Christian while they seek to deâ—rive me of all things else They are afraid I â—hould save my soule Other sense Charity it selfe can hardly pick out of those many harsh Repulses I received as to that request so often made for the attendance of some of my Chaplaines I have sometime thought the Unchristianâ—esse of those denialls might arise from a displeasure some men had to see me prefer my own Diuines before their Ministers whom though I â—uspect for that worth and piety which may be in them yet I cannot think them so proper for â—ny present Comforters or Physitians who have some of them at least had so great an influence â—n occasioning these calamities and inflicting these wounds upon me Nor are the soberest of them so apt for that devotionall compliance and juncture of hearts which I desire to bear in those holy Offices to be performed with me and for me since their judgements standing at a distance from me or in jealousie of me or in opposition against me their Spirits cannot so harmoniously accord with mine
or mine 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 mutuall Love and Charity Some remedies are worse then the disease and some Comforters more miserable then misery it selfe when like Jobs friends they seek not to fortifie ones mind with patience but perswade a man by betraying his own Innocency to despair of Gods mercy and by justifying their injuries to strengthen the hands and harden the hearts of insolent Enemies I am so much a friend to all Church-men that have any thing in them beseeming that sacred Function that I have hazarded My owne Interests chiefly upon Conscience and Constancy to maintaine their Rights whom the more I looked upon as Orphans and under the sacrilegious eyes of many cruell and rapacious Reformers so I thought it my duty the more to appeare as a Father and a Patron for them and the Church Although I am very unhandsomly requited by some of them who may live to repent no lesse for my sufferings than their owne ungratefull errours and that injurious contempt and meannesse which they have brought upon their Calling and Persons I pity all of them I despise none onely I thought I might have leave to make choice of some for my speciall Attendants who were best approved in my judgement and most sutable to my affection For I held it better to seem undevout and to heare no mens prayers than to be forced or seem to comply with those Petitions to which the heart cannot consent nor the tongue say Amen without contradicting a mans own understanding or belying his own soule In Devotions I love neither profane boldnesse nor pious non-sense but such an humble and judicious gravity as shewes the Speaker to be at once considerate of Gods Majesty the Churches honour and his owne Vilenesse both knowing what things God allows him to ask and in what manner it becomes a Sinner to supplicate the divine Mercy for himself and others I am equally scandalized with all prayers that sound either imperiously or rudely and passionately as either wanting humility to God or charity to men or respect to the duty I confesse I am better pleased as with studied and premeditated Sermons so with such publique Formes of Prayers as are fitted to the Churches and every Christians daily and common necessities because I am by them better assured what I may joyne my heart unto than I can be of any mans extemporary sufficiency which as I doe not wholly exclude from publique occasions so I allow its just liberty and use in private and devout retirements where neither the solemnity of the duty nor the modest regard to others doe require so great exactnesse as to the outward manner of performance Though the light of understanding and the fervency of affection I hold the maine and most necessary requisites both in constant and occasionall solitary and sociall Devotions So that I must needs seem to all equall minds with as much Reason to prefer the service of my own Chaplains before that of their Ministers as I do the Liturgy before their Directory In the one I have been alwaies educated and exercised In the other I am not yet Catechized nor acquainted And if I were yet should I not by that as by any certaine rule and Canon of devotion be able to follow or find out the indirect extravagances of most of those men who highly cry up that as a piece of rare composure and use which is already as much despised and disused by many of them as the Common-Prayer sometimes was by those men a great part of whose piety hung upon that popular pin of railing against and contemning the Government and Liturgy of this Church But I had rather be condemned to the woe of Vae soli than to that of Vae vobis Hypocritis by seeming to pray what I do not approve It may be I am esteemed by my Denyers sufficient of My self to discharge My duty to God as a Priest though not to Men as a Prince Indeed I think both Offices Regall and Sacerdotall might will become the same Person as anciently they were under one name and the united rights of primogeniture Nor could I follow better presidents if I were able than those â—wo eminent Kings David and Solomon not more famous for their Scepters and Crownes than one was for devout Psalmes and Prayers the other for his divine Parables and Preaching whence one merited and assumed the name of a Prophet the other of a Preacher Titles indeed of greater Honour where rightly placed than any of those the Roman Emperours affected from the Nations they subdued it being infinitely more glorious to convert Souls to Gods Church by the Word than to conquer men to a subjection by the Sword Yet since the order of Gods wisdome providence hath for the most part alwayes distinguished the gifts and offices of Kings of Priests of Princes and Preachers both in the Jewish Christian Churches I am sorry to find My self reduced to the necessity of being both or enjoying neither For such as seek to deprive Me of Kingly power and Soveraignty would no lesse enforce Me â—o live many Months without all Prayers Sacraments and Sermons unlesse I become My owne Chaplain As I owe the Clergy the protection of a Christian KING so I desire to enjoy from them the benefit of their gifts and prayers which I looke upon as more prevalent than My own or other mens by how much they flow from minds more enlightned affections lesse distracted than those which are uncombred with secular affairs besides I think a greater blessing and acceptablenesse attends those duties which are rightly performed as proper to within the limits of that calling to which God and the Church have specially designed and consecrated some men and however as to that Spirituall Government by which the devout Sonl is â—ubject to Christ and through his merits daily offers it self and its services to God every private believer is a King Preist invested with tbe honour of a Royall Priesthood yet as to Ecclesiasticall order and the outward polity of the Church I think confusion in Religion will as certainly follow every mans turning Priest or Preacher as it will in the State where every one affects to rule as King I was always bred to more modest and I think more pious principles the consciousnesse to My Spirituall defects makes me more prize desire those pious assistances which holy and good Ministers either Bishops or Presbyters may afford Me especially in these extremities to which God hath bin pleased to suffer some of my Subjects to reduce me so as to leave them nothing more but My life to take from me and to leave me nothing to desire which I thought might lesse provoke their jealousie and offence to deny Me than this of having some means afforded Me for My Soules comfort and support To which end I
they know not what they did The teares they have denied me in my saddest condition give them grace to bestow upon themselves who the lesse they were for me the more cause they have to weep for themselves O let not my bloud be upon them and their Children whom the fraud and faction of some not the malice of all have excited to crucifie Me. But thou O Lord canst and wilt as thou dist my Redeemer both exalt and perfect me by my sufferings which have more in them of thy mercy then of mans cruelty or thy owne Iustice Natus May 29 An o 1630 AEtatis â— 27 To the Prince of VVales SOn if these Papers with some others wherein I have set down the private reflections of My Conscience and My most impartiall thoughts touching the cheif passages which hath been most remarkable or disputed in My late troubles come to your hands to whom they are chiefly designed they may be so far usefull to you as to state your judgement aright in what hath passed whereof a pious is the best use can be made and they may also give you some directions how to remedy the present distempers and prevent if God will the like for time to come It is some kind of deceiving and lessening the injury of my long restraint when I find My leisure solitude have produced something worthy of My self and usefull to you That neither you nor any other may hereafter measure My Cause by the Successe nor My Judgement of things by My misfortunes which I count the greater by far because they have so farr lighted upon you and some others whom I have most cause to love as well as My self and of whose unmerited sufferings I have a greater sense then of Mine own But this advantage of wisdome you have above other Princes that you have begunne and now spent some years of discretion in the experience of troubles and exercise of patience wherein Piety and all Vertues both Morall and Politicall are commonly better planted to a thriving as Trees set in Winter then in the warmth and serenity of times or amidst those delights which usually attend Princes Courts in times of peace and plenty which are prone either to root up all plants of true Vertue and Honour or to be contented only with some leaves and withering formalities of them without any reall fruits such as tend to the Publick good for which Princes should alwayes remember they are borne and by providence designed The evidence of which different education the holy VVrit affords us in the contemplation of David and Rehoboham The one prepared by many afflictions for a flourishing Kingdome the other unsoftned by the unparalel'd prosperity of Solomons Court and so corrupted to the great diminution both for Peace Honour and Kingdome by those flatteries which are as unseparable from prosperous Princes as Flies are from fruit in Summer whom adversity like could weather drives away I had rather you should be Charles Le Bon then le Grand good then great I hope God hath designed you to both having so early put you into that exercise of his Graces and Gifts bestowed upon you which may best weed out all vicious inclinations and dispose you to those Princely endowments employments which will most gain the love and intend the welfare of those over whom God shall place you With God I would have you begin and end who is King of Kings the Soveraign disposer of the Kingdomes of the world who pullest down one and setteth up another The best Government highest Sove raignty you can attain to is to be subject to him that the Scepter of his Word and Spirit may rule in your heart The true glory of Princes consists in advancing Gods glory in the maintenance of true Religion and the Churches good Also in the dispensation of civill Power with Justice and Honour to the publike Peace Piety will make you prosperous at least it wil keep you from being miserable nor is he much a loser that looseth all yet saveth his own Soul at last To which center of true Happinesse God I trust hath and will graciously direct all these black lines of Affliction which he hath bin pleased to draw on Me and by which he hath I hope drawn me nearer to himself You have already tasted of that cup whereof I have liberally drank which I look upon as Gods phisick having that in healthfulnesse which it wants in pleasure Above all I would have you as I hope you are already well-grounded setled in your Religion The best profession of which I have ever esteemed that of the Church of England in which you have been educated yet I would have your own Iudgement and Reason now seal to that sacred bond which education hath written that it may be judiciously your owne Religion and not other mens custome or tradition which you professe In this I charge you to persevere as comming nearest to Gods VVord for Doctrine and to the primitive examples for Government with soms little amendment which I have otherwhere expressed and often offered though in vaine Your fixation in matters of Religion will not be more necessary for your soule then your Kingdoms peace when God shall bring you to them For I have observed that the Divell of Rebellion doth commonly turne himselfe into an Angell of Reformation and the old Serpent can pretend new Lights When some mens Consciences accuse them for Sedition and Faction they stop its mouth with the name and noise of Religion when Piety pleads for peace and patience they cry out Zeale So that unlesse in this point You be well settled you shall never want temptations to destroy you and yours under pretensions of forming matters of Religion for that seemes even to worst men as the best and most auspicious beginning of their worst designes VVhere besides the Novelty which is taking enough with the Vulgar every one hath an affection by seeming forward to an outward Reformation of Religion to be thought zealous hoping to cover those irreligious deformities whereto they are conscious by severity of censuring other mens opinions or actions Take heed of abetting any Factions or applying to any publick discriminations in matters of Religion contrary to what is in your judgement and the Church well setled your partiall adhering as head to any one side gaines you not so great advantages in some mens hearts who are prone to be of their Kings Religion as it loseth you in others who think themselves and their profession first despised then persecuted by you Take such a course as may either with calmnesse and charity quite remove the seeming differences and offences by impartiality or so order affairs in point of Power that you shall not need to feare or flatter any Faction For if ever you stand in need of them or must stand to their curtesie you are undone The Serpent will devour the Dove you may never expect lesse of loyalty justice or humanity
I can both forgive them pray for them that God would not impute My bloud to them further then to convince them what need they have of Christs bloud to wash their soules from the guilt of shedding Mine At present the will of My Enemies seems to be their only rule their power the measure and their successe the Exactor of what they please to call Justice while they flatter themselves with the fancy of their owne safety by my danger and the security of their lives and designes by My Death forgetting that as the greatest temptations to sinne are wrapped up in seeming prosperities so the severest vengeance of God are then most accomplished when men are suffered to compleat their wicked purposes I blesse God I pray not so much that this bitter cup of a violent death may passe from Me as that of his warth may passe from all those whose hands by deserting Me are sprinkled or by acting and consenting to My death are embrued with My bloud The will of God hath confined and concluded Mine I shall have the pleasure of dying without any pleasure of desired vengeance This I think becomes a Christian toward his Enemies and a King toward his subjects They cannot deprive Me of more than I am content to lose when God sees fit by their hands to take it from me whose mercy I believe will more then infinitely recompence what ever by mans injustice he is pleased to deprive me of The glory attending my death will farre surpasse all I could enjoy or conceive in life I shall not want the heavy and envyed Crownes of this world when my God hath mercifully Crowned and Consummated his graces with Glory and exchanged the shadows of my earthly Kingdomes among men for the substance of that Heavenly Kingdom with himselfe For the censures of the world I know the sharpe and necessary tyranny of my Destroyers will sufficiently confute the calumnies of tyranny against me I am perswaded I am happy in the judicious love of the ablest and best of my Subjects who doe not onely pity and pray for me but would be content even to dye with me or for me These know how to excuse my failings as a man and yet to retaine and pay their duty to me as their King there being no religious necessity binding any Subjects by pretending to punish infinitely to exceede the faults and errours of their Princes especially there where more then sufficient satisfaction hath been made to the publike the enjoyment of which private ambitions have hitherto frustrated Others I beleive of softer tempers and lesse advantaged by my ruine doe already feel sharp convictions and some remorse in their consciences where they cannot but see the proportions of their evill dealings against me in the measure of Gods retaliations upon them who cannot hope long to enjoy their owne thumbs and toes having under pretence of paring others nails bin so cruell as to cut off their chiefest strength The punishment of the more insolent and obstinat may be like that of 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 cheifly depended for their building and establishing their designes against me the Church and State My chiefest comfort in death consists in My peace which I trust is made with God before whose exact tribunall I shal not fear to appear as to the Cause so long disputed by the sword between me and my causlesse Enemies where I doubt not but his righteous judgment wll conâ—ute their fallacy who from worldly successe â—rather like Sophisters than sound Christians â—raw those popular conclusions for Gods apâ—robation of their actions whose wise proviâ—ence we know oft permits many events which â—s revealed word the only clear safe and fixed rule of good actions good consciences in no sort approves I am confident the Justice of My Cause and clearnesse of my conscience before God and toward my people wil carry me as much above them in Gods decision as their successes have lifted them above me in the vulgar opinion who consider not that many times those undertakings of men are lifted up to heaven in the prosperity and applause of the world whose rise is from Hell as to the injuriousnesse and oppression of the designe The prosperous winds which oft fill the sayles of Pyrates doth not justifie their piracy and rapine I look upon it with infinite more content and quiet of Soule to have been worsted in my enforced contestation for and Vindication of the Laws of the Land the freedome and honour of Parliaments the rights of My Crown the just liberty of My Subjects and the true Christian Religion in its Doctrine Government and due encouragements then if I had with the greatest advantages of successe overborn them all as some men have now evidently done whatever designes they at first pretended The prayers and patience of my Freinds and loving Subjects will contribute much to the sweetning of this bitter cup which I doubt not but I shall more cheerefuly take and drink as from Gods hand if it must be so than they can give it me whose hands are unjustly and barbarously lifted up against me And as to the last event I may seeme to owe more to my Enemies than my Freinds while those will put a period to the finnes and sorrows attending this miserable life wherewith these desire I might still contend I shall be more then Conquerour through Christ enabling me for whome I have hitherto suffered as he is the Authour of Truth Order and Peace for all which I have beene forced to contend against Errour Faction and confusion If I must suffer a violent death with my Saviour it is but mortality crowned with martyrdome where the debt of death which I owe for sinne to nature shall be raised as a gift of faith and patience offered to God Which I humbly beseech him mercifully to accept and although Death be the wages of my owne sinne as from God and the effect of other sinnes as men both against God and me yet as I hope my owne sinnes are so remitted that they shall be no ingredients to imbitter the cup of my death so I desire God to pardon their sinnes who are most guilty of my destruction The Trophees of my charity will be more glorious and durable over them than their ill-managed victories over me Though their sin be prosperous yet they had need to be penitent that they may be pardoned Both which I pray God they may obtaine that my temporall Death unjustly inflicted by them may not be revenged by Gods just inflicting eternall death upon them for I look upon the temporall destruction of the greatest King as far lesse deprecable than the eternall damnation of the meanest