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A88691
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A letter farther and more fully evidencing the Kings stedfastnesse in the Protestant religion, written by Mounsier de l'Angle minister of the Protestant church at Roven in France to a friend of his in London,
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L'Angle, Samuel de.
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1660
(1660)
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Wing L403; Thomason E1027_2; ESTC R202710
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14,957
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30
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A LETTER Farther and more fully Evidencing the Kings stedfastnesse in THE Protestant Religion Written by Mounsier de l'Angle Minister of the Protestant Church at Roven in FRANCE to a Friend of his in LONDON London Printed by A.W. for Joshua Kirton at the Queens Arms in St. Pauls Church-Yard 1660. THe reverend Author judgeing it fit and to good purpose to publish this Letter of his in France both for the comforts and undeceiving of the Protestants of that Nation in that great scandal cast on the King of England as inclining to the Church of Rome which scandal though it be now fully cleared and made evident as our Author saith that it came from Hell so that it might seem to no purpose to publish any farther vindication of his Majesty herein Yet the same reasons mentioned before for publishing of the original together with the gravity of the Author who is one of the ancientest Preachers in France and the fulness of the Letter wherein are many things not commonly known were strong inducements for publishing this translation whereby all true English men and Protestants may also receive much comfort and all prejudice removed from their hearts who in the least doubt of the sincerity of the King concerning the Religion he professeth A Letter of M. de l'Angle Divine to a friend concerning the Religion of the Serene King of England SIR TOgether with all known good men I praysed God when I understood the proceedings in Engl. tended to the re-establishment of your King and again I glorify'd him for the evidence appears that he will have compassion on that miserable Kingdom long known to me and whereas you well know I did for some years preach the Gospel to a people that lov'd me and in whom I observ'd much of piety 'T is true the people whereof the state at present is compos'd make up a various coloured garment which God in his Law allows not of And this prodigious compound of Frogs and Grashoppers that is the Sectaries which cover allmost all England made me feare the wrath of God would not long forbear this desolate Nation But God who is rich in mercy who for the sake of ten righteous would have pardoned Sodom hath yet more inclination to pardon his Hierusalem for the pious multitude in the mid'st of it who sincerely love God and by whom his holy name is called on especially I had a confidence that first or last the Presbyterians those who at present make the strongest party in great Britain would by examples of loyalty when God should afford them opportunity clear themselves of the infamy they are blasted wiâ—h for being complices in the death of King Charles of blessed and glorious memory And that to those of our Religion would be restored the glory Cardinal Ossat in one of his Epistles ingeniously acknowledgeth our due that is never to have attempted the life of our Soveraignes how cruel so ever they have been to us and notwithstanding the massacres upon those of our Religion by their orders these or such like are the Cardinals own words Whereupon Sir I shall tell you that discoursing some dayes since with a person of Judgement and one fearing God of the state of your affairs and particularly of those affairs in this conjuncture so cross for the King that seem to obstruct his re-establishment we concluded that amongst others two grand Obstacles concurr'd to hinder it which would infallibly succeed could they be taken away The first is the apprehension that the Presbyterians who only are capable to bring this about in behalf of the Church and State may have that the King distastes them holding them guilty of the parricide of the King his Father as some have endeavoured to perswade him some out of malice to foment an irreconcilible misunderstanding betwixt the King and his best Subjects and so to order it that they may never hereafter have confidence in each other Others out of unadvisedness being misinform'd in the reality of that said story as the late Salmasius in his Apologie for the King of England where this great person exasperates himself with a false generosity when he declares he was not born for compliance whereof no man ever suspected him and that he spares neither brother nor best friend where he finds them deviated from their duty The other obstacle we judged to withstand the Kings re-establishment is a perswasion that the enemies of Protestant Religion and the King of England have sowed amongst many that the King is not of the Religion he professeth but that he concurs with Rome wherewith he hath private engagements in a word that he is a Papist To take away the first obstacle I shew'd this good man a letter I sometime wrote to Salmaslus of whom I spake concerning his Apologie which he did me the honour to send me In this letter where I shew'd him that as Jacob said to Reuben his first-born Gen 49. he was unstable as water and should not excel I have so evidently clear'd the Presbyterians of the injury he did them and with reasons so considerable that the person to whom I communicated them thought it fit the letter should be published whereto I willingly consented judging the Letter would come forth to purpose and in season But the posture wherein at present I view them and the affection they testifie to their Prince justifies them above all the reasons I alleadg'd and if their great and glorious designe succeeds as the reformed Churches in all parts of the Wrold evidently pray like Moses lifting up their hands till God makes this happy day shine from above their innocense will appear so manifest that Calumny it self will not dare to attempt it For what man of reason sees not that if their hearts condemn'd them and that they were conscious of this crying sin they would not be cautious of procuring the Kings return since they must needs have cause to fear he should retain an immortal resentment and though for a time finding their party as the sons of Zerviah too strong and potent for him he dissembles the indignation conceiv'd in his heart they must alwaies think he would make them feel the effects when time should favour him And this argument is confirmed by the example of the Sectaries who fearing their hands should be found stain'd with the blood that cries so loud apprehend the Kings re-establishment as a sad day for them when this Prince may treat them in such termes as he of whom the Scripture tells us did those who revolted from their obedience and that in his just resentments he saith not Bring me hither these my enemies which would not that I should raign over them Though to deale ingeniously I believe their fear will be their only punishment and I am confident he is a Prince who will do by his subjects as Joseph did by his bretheren and as he had respect to the desires of his dying father Jacob to pardon his bretheren and not
the fire of the Almighties wrath All the world knows King Charles protested before that were present when he renderd his soul to God that he dyed of the Religion authoriz'd by the laws of England nor is there any one dares deny a truth so universally attested But such ridiculous miscreants there are who have impudence to say this protestation was but a fiction and suggested by the emissaries of the Pope That 't was done for policy and that the Popes Indulgencies allow so far But these impertinents tell not what was the politick end the Partizans of the Pope aym'd at nor what advantage could redound to their religion that the King of England even dying should openly and firmly protest he was a protestant But admit such an odde dissimulation was maintaind for some reasons to us unknown who is it these people can perswade that this Prince who during his life had ever given testimony of his singular piety should take pleasure to damne himself by counterfeiting before God man to favour the Interests of the Roman Religion I do not know that the Pope ever gave indulgence for sinnes to be committed Every one neverthelesse knowes the History of the great Bullisle Texel the first that publish'd such sophisticated stuff in Germany But I perswade my self there is no one can authorize future Hypocrisie and false Oathes when we stand so near the Throne of God before whom we go to appear And though Rome should grant things of this nature which I believe it do's not is it credible he would confide and rely more upon the Pope who calls Bad Good and justifies so prophane an hypocrisie than on God who assignes the portion of them who take his name in vain and of Lyars and Hypocrites to be in the lake of fire and Brimstone Sir 'T is then most evident the King of England lived and dyed a Protestant and by consequence the allegation is most impudent to say he imbu'd the King his sonne in the Roman Faith The second objection they make to the Religion of this Prince is that while he was at Paris he frequented not the Sermons If they could say while he was there he made no profession of his Religion the accusation were of force and considerable but that no man dares pretend for 't is well known the King of England had the exercises of his Religion which is ours in his Palace and there had the Word of God preached and the Sacraments administred after the manner of Charenton I should certainly have been glad he had been there and 't is to be wished those who were then about him had brought him thither So great an example had brought joy and consolation to our Churches and confusion to our enemies who thereby had been depriv'd of their most specious pretext to abuse the Religion of this Prince But there is no honest man excuses not this failing permit me so to call it for so in effect I judge it and I believe the edification might have been given to the Church of God ought to have carried him beyond all reasons could be alledged for doing as they did if they consider the many untoward conjunctures that hindered those who attended the Prince from giving him the advice I speak of which certainly was and the most sure and safe It proceeded Sir from this They who were next his person after his disasters were of different humours There were many who though they favoured the Hierarchy setled in England under the raigns of Edward Elizabeth and the two Kings who succeeded thought neverthelesse that this distinction of degrees in Ecclesiasticall functions was a government so necessary to the Church of England that it might not be omitted or chang'd into that they call the Presbyterian judging that this distinction of degrees in Ecclesiasticall functions is grounded onely upon a positive Law These are peaceable people that heartily joyne with forraign Churches who though they live not after the same discipline as they yet agree in all other doctrine and I know divers Bishops whom their books and repute testifie to be of this temper and they who were the more rationall and more knowing could have been content the King should have been at Charenton But there were others near him more passionate and rigid for the Hierarchicall Order who though they justify'd our Religion as to the Doctrine could not allow of the Order This sort of people are Antipodes to the Presbyterians both of England and Scotland Who hold they must absolutely break with the Churches that consent to Hierarchical Order and who are governed by Bishops and discover in this government something of pomp which they hold incompatible with the simplicity of the Christian Church The others on the contrary hold the Hierarchicall Order so necessary to the Church especially to that of England they can endure no government but that and have difficulty to communicate in our Churches though in matter of Doctrine they acknowledge them Orthodox Now of these was the greater number about the Prince who prevailed upon his spirit and hinder'd his coming to the preachings at Charenton to which I have been told he had a great inclination But you may observe if you please two occasions whereof these Hierarchicall Gentlemen made use to divert the intention of the King the one was that after this horrid revolution of the affairs in England both in Church and State and that Cromwell had invested himself in the Soveraign Authority whereof he had despoyl'd his Master the Agents of this Usurper possessed at Charenton the Seat of the Embassadours of the Kings of England And you will judge that since the King our Soveraign admitted them in the function of their Commission near his person 't was not for the Consistory or any Protestant to dispute with these people concerning the Seat they possessed at Charenton Now the party I speak of fayl'd not to take hold on this occasion and told the Prince 't were imprudence to go where he should have the grief to see his enemies in the place due to his Embassadours This reason touch'd the young King and he was easily perswaded I believe many others were guided by the same resentment But howsoever it appears the reason he came not to Charenton was not any aversion to the Doctrine preach'd there but because he could not resolve himself against an object so provoking and horrid and which he judged so injurious to his Majesty The other occasion these Hierarchical Gent made use of to divert the Kings inclination from his designe of giving testimony to our Churches of his spiritual communion with us was that the Pastours of the Church at Paris who assembled at Charenton went not to visit him whereupon they sayl'd not to intimate to this Prince that this was an evident proof of the aversion of those Churches both to him and his interests since those of Paris who make the most considerable part gave no testimony of any share in