power to offend others that I have none to defend my selfe or to preserve what is mine own from their prereption No man can doubt but they prevented Me in their purposes as well as their injuries who are so much before-hand in their preparations against Me and surprizalls of My strength Such as are not for Them yet dare not be for Me so overaw'd is their Loyalty by the others numbers and terrours I beleive my Innocency and unpreparednesse to assert my Rights and Honour makes Me the more guilty in their esteem who would not so easily have declared a war against Me if I had first assaulted them They knew my chiefest Arms left Me were those only which the ancient Christians were wont to use against their Persecutors Prayers and Tears These may serve a good mans turn if not to Conquer as a Souldier yet to Suffer as a Martyr Their preventing of Me and surprizing My Castles Forts Armes and Navy with the Militia is so far best for Me That it may drive me from putting any trust in the arme of flesh and wholy to cast my self into the protection of the living God who can save by few or none as well as by many He that made the greedy Ravens to be ELYAS Caterers and bring him foode may also make their surprizall of outward force and defence an opportunity to shew me the speciall support of his power and protection I thank God I reckon not now the want of the Militia so much in reference to My owne protection as My Peoples Their many and sore oppressions greive Me I am above My Owne what I want in the hands of Force and Power I have in the wings of faith and Prayer But this is the strange method these Men will needs take to resolve their riddle of making me a glorious King by taking away my Kingly power Thus I shall become a support to My Freinds and a Terrour to My Enemies by being unable to succour the one or suppress the other For thus have they designed proposed to Me the new-modelling of Soveraignty and kingship as without any reality of power so without any necessity of subjection and obedience That the Majesty of the Kings of England might hereafter hang like Mahomets Tomb by a magnetique Charm between the Power and Priviledges of the two Houses in an aiery imagination of Regality But I believe the surfet of too much Power which some men have greedily seiz'd on now seek wholly to devour wil ere long make the Common-wealth sick both of it and them since they cannot well digest it Soveraigne Power in Subjects seldome agreeing with the stomacks of fellow Subjects Yet I have even in this point of the constant Militia sought by satisfying their feares and importunities both to secure My Freinds overcom Mine enemies to gain the peace of al by depriving My self of a sole power to helpe or hurt any yeilding the Militia which is my undoubted Right no lesse than the Crowne to be disposed of as the two Houses shall thinke fit during My time So willing am I to bury all jealousies of me in them to live above all jealousies of them as to My self I desire not to be safer than I wish them My People if I had the sole actuall disposing of the Militia I could not protect My People further than they protected Me themselvs so that the use of the Militia is mutuall I would but defend My self so far as to be able to defend My good Subjects from those mens violence and fraud who conscious to their own evill merits and designes will needs perswade the world that none but Wolves are fit to be trusted with the custody of the Shepheard and his Flock Miserable experience hath taught My Subjects since Power hath beene wrested from Me and imployed against Me and Them that neither can be safe if both be not in such a way as the Law hath entrusted the publique safety and welfare Yet even this Consession of Mine as to the exercise of the Militia so vast and large is not satisfactory to some men which seeme to be Enemies not to Me onely but to all Monarchy and are resolved to transmit to posterity such Jealousies of the Crowne as they should never permit it to enjoy its just and necessary Rights in point of Power to which at last all Law is resolved while thereby it is best protected But here Honour and Justice due to My Successors forbid Me to yeild to such a totall alienation of that power from them which civility and duty no lesse then justice and honour should have forbad them to have asked of Me. For although I can be content to Eclypse My owne beames to satisfie their feares who think they must needs be scorched or blinded if I should shine in the full lusture of Kingly Power wherewith God and the Lawes have invested Me yet I will never consent to put out the Sun of Soveraignty to all Posterity and succeeding Kings whose just recovery of their Rights from unjust usurpations and extortions shall never be prejudiced or obstructed by any Act of Mine which indeed would not be more injurious to succeeding Kings than to My Subjects whom I desire to leave in a condition not wholly desperate for the future so as by a Law to be ever subjected to those many factious distractions which must needs follow the many-headed Hydra of Government which as it makes a shew to the People to have more eyes to foresee so they wil find it hath more mouths too which must be satisfied and at best it hath rather a monstrosity than any thing of perfection beyond that of right Monarchy where counsell may be in many as the senses but the supreame Power can be but in One as the Head Happily when men have tried the horrours and malignant influence which will certainly follow My enforced darknesse and Eclypse occasioned by the interposition and shaddow of that body which as the Moon receiveth its chiefest light from Me they will at length more esteem and welcome the restored glory and blessing of the Suns light And if at present I may seem by My receding so much from the use of My Right in the power of the Militia to come short of the discharge of that trust to which I am sworne for My Peoples protection I conceive those men are guilty of the enforced perjury if so it may seem who compell Me to take this new and strange way of discharging My trust by seeming to desert it of protecting My Subjects by exposing My selfe to danger or dishonour for their safety and quiet VVhich in the conflicts of Civill VVar and advantages of Power cannot be effected but by some side yeilding to which the greatest love of the publique Peace and the firmest assurance of Gods protection arising from a good conscience doth more invite Me than can be expected from other mens fears which arising from the injustice of their Actions
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
but for their weighty and judicious piety than those are whose weaknes or giddines they sought to gratifie by taking it away One of the greatest faults some men found with the Common-Prayer-book I beleive was this That it taught them to pray so oft for Me to which Petitions they had not Loyalty enough to say Amen nor yet charity enough to forbear Reproaches and even cursings of Me in their own forms instead of praying for Me. I wish their Repentance may be their only punishment that seeing the mischiefs which the disuse of publique Liturgyes hath already produced they may restore that credit use and reverence to them which by the ancient Churches were given to Set Formes of sound and wholsome words And thou O Lord which art the same God blessed for ever whose mercies are full of varie y yet of constancy Thou denyest us not a new fresh sense of our old and dayly wants nor despisest renued affections ioyned to constant expressions Let us not want the benefit of thy Churches united wel-advised Devotions Let the matters of our prayers be agreeable to thy will which is alwaies the same and the fervency of our spirits to the motions of thy holy Spirit in us And then we doubt not but thy spirituall perfections are such as thou art neither to be pleased with affected Novelties for matter or manner nor offended with the pious constancy of our petitions in them both Whose variety or constancy thou hast no where either forbidden or commanded but left them to the piety and prudence of thy Church that both may be used neither dispised Keep men in that pious moderation of their Iudgments in matters of Religion that their ignorance may not offend others nor their opinion of their own abilities tempt them to deprive others of what they may lawfully and devoutly use to help their infirmities And since the advantage of Errour consists in novelty and variety as Truths in unity and constancy Suffer not thy Church to be pestered with errours and diformed with undecencies in thy service under the pretence of variety and novelty Nor to be deprived of truth unity and order under this fallacy That constancy is the cause of formality Lord keep us from formall Hypocisie in our own hearts and then we know that praying to thee or praising of thee with David and other holy men in the same formes cannot hurt us Give us wisdome to amend what is amisse within us and there will be lesse to mend without us Evermore defend and deliver thy Church from the effects of blind zeal and over-bold devotion 17. Of the differences betweene the King and the two Houses in point of Church-government TOuching the GOVERNMENT of the Church by Bishops the common Jealousie hath bin that I am earnest and resolute to maintain it not so much out of piety as policy and reason of State Wherein so far indeed reason of State doth induce Me to approve that Government above any other as I find it impossible for a Prince to preserve the State in quiet unlesse he hath such an influence upon Church-men and they such a dependance on Him as may best restraine the seditions exorbitances of Ministers Tongues who with the Keys of Heaven have so far the Keys of the Peoples hearts as they prevaile much by their Oratory to let in or shut out both Peace and Loyalty So that I being as King intrusted by God the Laws with the good both of Church and State I see no reason I should give up or weaken by any change that power and influence which in right and reason I ought to have over both The moving Bishops out of the House of Peers of which I have elsewhere given an account was sufficient to take off any suspicion that I encline to them for any use to be made of their Votes in State affairs Though indeed I never thought any Bishop worthy to sit in that House who would not Vote according to his Conscience I must now in charity be thought desirous to preserve that Government in its right constitution as a matter of Religion wherein both My judgement is justly satisfyed that it hath of all other the fullest Scripture grounds and also the constant practise of all Christian Churches til of late years the tumultuarinesse of People or the factiousnesse and pride of Presbyters or the covetousnesse of some States and Princes gave occasion to some mens wits to invent new modells aud propose them under specious titles of Christs Government Scepter and Kindome the better to serve their turns to whom the change was beneficiall They must give Me leave having none of their temptations to invite Me to alter the Government of Bishops that I may have a Title to their Estates not to believe their pretended grounds to any new wayes contrary to the full and constant testimony of all Histories sufficiently convincing unbiased men that as the Primitive Churches were undoubtedly governed by the Apostls and their immediate Successors first best Bishops so it cannot in reason or charity be supposed that al churches in the world should either be ignorant of the rule by thē prescribed or so soon deviate from their divine and holy patterne That since the first Age for 1500. years not one Example can be produced of any setled Church wherein were many Ministers and Congregations which had not some Bishop above them under whose jurisdiction and government they were Whose constant and universall practise agreeing with so large and evident Scripture-directions and examples as are set down in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus for the setling of that Government not in the persons only of Timothy and Titus but in the succession the want of Government being that which the Church can no more dispense with in point of wel-being then the want of the Word Sacraments in point of being I wonder how men came to look with so envious an eye upon Bishops power and authority as to oversee both the Ecclesiasticall use of them and Apostolicall constitution which to Me seems no lesse evidently set forth as to the maine scope design of those Epistles for the setling of a peculiar Office Power and Authority in them as President-Bishops above others in point of Ordination Censures and other acts of Ecclesiasticall discipline then those shorter Characters of the qualities and duties of Presbiter-Bishops and Deacons are described in some parts of the same Epistles who in the latitude and community of the name were then and may now not improperly be called Bishops as to the oversight and care of single Congregations committed to them by the Apostles or those Apostolicall Bishops who as Timothy and Titus succeeded them in that ordinary power there assigned over larger divisions in which were many Presbyters The humility of those first Bishops avoiding the eminent title of Apostles as a name in the Churches stile appropriated from its common notion of a Messenger or one sent to
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
though never so successefull yet dare not adventure their Authors upon any other way of safety then that of the Sword and Militia which yet are but weak defences against the stroaks of divine vengeance which will overtake or of mens owne Consciences which alwayes attend injurious perpetrasions For my selfe I do not think that I can want any thing which providentiall necessity is pleased to take from Me in order to my Peoples tranquillity and Gods glory whose protection is sufficient for me and he is able by his being with me abundantly to compensate to Me as he did to Iob what ever honour power or liberty the Caldeans the Sabeans or the Devill himselfe can deprive Me of Although they take from Me all defence of Armes and Militia all refuge by Land of Forts and Castles all flight by Sea in My Ships and Navie yea though they study to Rob me of the Hearts of my Subjects the greatest Treasure best Ammunition of a King yet cannot they deprive me of my own innocency or Gods mercy nor obstruct My way to Heaven Therefore O my God to thee I flye for help if thâ— wilt be on my side J shall have more with we the can be against me There is none in Heaven or in Earth that I dâ—sire in comparison of thee In the loss of all â— thou more then all to me Make hast to succour 〈◊〉 thou that never failest them that put their trust â— thee Thou seest I have no power to oppose them thâ— come against me who are encouraged to fight undâ— the pretence of fighting for me But my eyes aâ— toward thee Thou needest no help nor shall I if I may haâ— thine If not to conquer yet at least to suffer If thou delightest not in my safety prosperiâ— behold here am I willing to be reduced to what thâ— wilt have me whose Judgements oft begin with 〈◊〉 own Children I am content to be nothing that thou mayst be all Thou hast taught me That no King can be savâ— by the multitude of an Host but yet thou canst saâ— me by the multitude of thy mercyes who art the Lâ— of Hosts and the Father of mercies Help Me O Lord who am sore distressed on eâ—ry side yet be thou on my side and I shall not feâ— what man can do unto me I will give thy justi the glory of mydistresse O let thy mercy have the glory of my delivraâ— from them that persecute my Soule By my sinnes have I fought against thee aâ— robbed thee of thy glory who am thy subiect and iustly mayst thou by my owne Subiects strip me of my strength and eclypse my glory But shew thy selfe O my hope and only refuge Let not mine Enemies say There is no help for him in his God Hold up my goings in thy paths that my footsteps slip not Keep me as the apple of thine eye hide me under the shâ—ddow of thy wings Shew thy marveilous loving kindnesse O thou that savest by thy right hand them that put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them From the wicked that oppresse me from my deadly Enemies that compasse me about Shew me the path of life In thy presence is fulnesse of Ioy at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore 11. Vpon the 19 Propositions first sent to the King and more afterwards ALthough there be many things they demand yet if these be all I am glad to see at what price they set My owne safety and My Peoples peace which I cannot thinke I buye at too deare a rate save onely the parting with my Conscience and Honour If nothing else will satisfye I must chuse ratheâ— to be as miserable and inglorious as My Enemies can make or wish Me. Some things here propounded to me have biâ— offered by me Others are easily granted The rest I think ought not to be obtruded upon me with the point of the Sword nor urged with thâ— injuries of a war when I have already declareâ— that I cannot yeild to them without violatinâ— my Conscience 't is strange there can be nâ— method of peace but by making Warre upoâ— My Soul Here are many things required of me but â— see nothing offer'd to me by the way of grate full exchange of Honour or any requitall foâ— those favours I have or can yet grant them This Honour they doe me to put me oâ— the giving part which is more princely anâ— divine They cannot ask more than I can give may I but reserve to my self the incommunicable Jewell of my Conscience and not be forced to part with that whose loss nothing caâ— repair or requite Some things which they are pleased to propound seem unreasonable to Me and whilâ— I have any mastery of My Reason how caâ— they think I can consent to them who knoâ— they be such as are inconsistent with being eitheâ— a KING or a good Christian My yeilding so much as I have already makes some men confident I will deny nothing The love I have of My Peoples peace hath indeed great influence upon me but the love of Truth and inward peace hath more Should I grant some things they require I should not so much weaken My outward state of a King as wound that inward quiet of My Conscience which ought to be is and ever shall be by Gods grace dearer to Me than My kingdomes Some things which a King might approve yet in Honour Policy are at some time to be denyed to some men lest he should seeme not to dare to deny any thing and give too much incouragement to unreasonable Demands or importunities But to bind My selfe to a generall and implicite consent to what ever they shall desire or propound for such is one of their Propositions were such a latitude of blind obedience as never was expected from any Free-man nor fit to be required of any man much lesse of a King by His owne Subjects any of whom he may possibly exceed as much in wisdome as he doth in place and power This were as if Sampson should have consented not only to bind his owne hands and cut off his hair but to put out his own eyes that the Philistins might with the more safety mock and abuse him which they chose rather to doe then quite to destroy him when he was become so tame an object fit occasion for their sport and scorne Certainly to exclude all power of deniall seemes an arrogancy least of all becomming those who pretend to make their addresses in aâ— humble and loyall way of petitioning who by that sufficiently confesse their owne inferiority which obligeth them to rest if not satisfied yâ— quieted with such an answer as the will and reason of their Superiour thinks fit to give whâ— is acknowledged to have a freedome and poweâ— of Reason to Consent or Dissent else it werâ— uery foolish and absurd to ask what anothe having not liberty to deny neither hath powe to grant But if this
be My Right belonging to Me iâ— Reason as a Man and in Honour as a Soveraign King as undoubtedly it doth how can i be other then extream injury to confine my Reason to a necessity of granting all they haveâ— mind to ask whose minds may be as differinâ— from mine both in Reason and Honour as theiâ— aims may be and their qualities are which laâ— God and the Laws have sufficiently distinguishâ— making me their Soveraigne and them my Subjects whose Propositions may soone provâ— violent oppositions if once they gaine to be necessary impositions upon the Regall Authority Since no man seeks to limit confine his King in Reason who hath not a secret aime to sharâ— with him or usurp upon him in power domion But they would have me trust to their moderation and abandon mine own discretioâ— that so I might verifie what representations some have made of me to the world that I am fitter to be their Pupill then their Prince Truly I am not so confident of my own sufficiency as not willingly to admit the Counsell of others But yet I am not so diffident of my self as brntishly to submit to any mans dictates at once to betray the Soveraignty of Reason in my soul and the Majesty of my own Crown to any of my Snbjects Least of all have I any ground of credulity to induce me fully to submit to all the desires of those men who will not admit or do refuse and neglect to vindicate the freedome of their own and others Sitting and Voting in Parliament Besides all men that know them know this how young States-men the most part of these Propounders are so that till experience of one seven yearts hath shewed me how well they can Govern themselves and so much power as is wrested from me I should be very foolish indeed unfaithfull in my Trust to put the reins of both Reason and Government wholly out of my own into to their hands whose driving is already too much like Iehues and whose forwardnesse to ascend the Throne of Supremacy portends more of Phaeton then of Phoebus God divert the Omen if it be his will They may remember that at best they sit in Parliament as My Subjects not my superiours called to be my Counsellours not Dictators Their Summons extends to Recommend theiâ— advice not to command my Duty VVhen I first heard of Propositions to be senâ— Me I expected either some good Lawes whicâ— had been antiquated by the course of time oâ— overlayd by the corruption of manners had biâ— desired to a restauration of their vigour anâ— due execution or some evill customes preter-legall and abuses personall had been to be removed or some injuries done by My selfe anâ— others to the Common-weale were to be repaired or some equable offertures were to bâ— tendred to Me wherein the advantages of my Crowne being considered by them might fairly induce me to condescend to what tended to my Subjects good without any great diminution oâ— My selfe whom Nature Law Reason anâ— Religion bind me in the first place to preserve without which 't is impossible to preserve my People according to my Place Or at least I looked for such moderate desires of due Reformation of what was indeed amisse in Church and State as migh still preserve the foundation and essentialls o Government in both not shake and quite oveâ— throw either of them without any regarâ— of the Lawes inforce the wisdome and pietâ— of former Parliaments the ancient and universall practise of Christian Churches thâ— Rights and Priviledges of particular men Nor yet any thing offered in lieu or in the roome of what must be destroyed which might at once reach the good end of the others Institution and also supply its pretended defects reforme its abuses and satisfie sober and wise men not with soft and specious words pretending zeale and speciall piety but with pregnant solid reasons both divine and humane which might justifie the abruptnesse and necessity of such vast alterations But in all their Propositions I can observe little of these kinds or to these ends Nothing of any Lawes dis-joynted which are to be restored of any right invaded of any Justice to be unobstructed of any compensations to be made of any impartiall reformation to be granted to al or any of which reason Religion true Policy or any other humane motives might induce me But as to the maine matters propounded by them at any time in which is either great novelty or difficulty I perceive that what were formerly look't upon as Factions in the State and Schismes in the Church and so punishable by the Lawes have now the confidence by vulgar clamours and assistance chiefly to demand not only Tolerations of themselves in their vanity novelty and confusion but also Abolition of the Lawes against them and a totall extirpation of that Government whose Rights they have a mind to invade This as to the maine other Propositions are for the most part but as waste paper in those which are wrapped up to present them somewhat more handsomely Nor do I so much wonder at the variety horrible novelty of some Propositions therebeing nothing so monstrous which some fancies are not prone to long for This casts me into not an admiration but an extasie how such things should have the fortun to be propounded in the name of the two Houses of the Parliament of England among whom I am very confident there was not a fourth part of the Members of either House whose judgements free single and apart did approve or desire such dstructive changes in the Government of the Church I am perswaded there remaines in far the major part of both Houses if free and full so much learning Reason Religion and just moderation as to know how to sever between the use anâ— the abuse of things the institution the corruption the Government and the Mis-government the Primitive Patterns and the abberrations or blottings of after Copies Sure they could not all upon so little or nâ— reason as yet produced to the contrary so soon renounce all regard to the Lawes in force to antiquity to the piety of their reforming Progenitors to the prosperity of former times in this Church state under the present Government of the Church Yet by a strange fatality these men suffer either by their absence or silence or negligence or supine credulity believing that all is Gold which is guilded with shewes of Zeale and Reformation their private disse nting in judgement to be drawne into the common sewer or stream of the present vogue and humour which hath its chief rise and abetment from those popular clamours and Tumults which served to give life and strength to the infinite activity of those men who studied with all diligence and policy to improve to their Innovating designes the present distractions Such Armies of Propositions having so little in My Judgement of reason J ustice and Religion on their side as they had
annexed rather then perturb the publick peace The truth is some men thirst after Novelties others despaire to relieve the necessities of their Fortunes or satisfie their Ambition in peaceable times distrusting Gods providence as well as their own merits were the secret but principal impulsives to those popular Commotions by which Subjects have been discharged to expend much of those plentifull Estates they got enjoyed under my government in peaceable times which yet must now be blasted with all the odious reproaches which impotent malice can invent My self exposed to all those contempts which may mostdiminish the Majesty of a King and encrease the ungratefull Insolencies of My People For Mine Honour I am wel assured that as mine Innocency is clear before God in point of of any calumnies they object so My reputation shall like the Son after Owles and Bats have had their freedome in the night and darker times rise and recover it selfe to such a degree of splendour as those ferall Birds shall be greived to behold and unable to bear For never were any Princes more glorious thē those whom God hath suffer'd to be tried in the fornace of afflictions by their injurious subjects And who knows but the just and merciful God will do Me good for some mens hard false evill speeches against Me wherein they spake rather what they wish than what they believe or know Nor can I suffer so much in point of honour by those rude and scandalous Pamphlets which like fire in great conflagration◠fly up down to set all places on like flames than those men do who pretending to so much piety are so forgetfull of their duty to God and Me By no way ever vindicating the Majesty of their KING against any of those who contrary to the precept of God and precedent of Angels speak evill of dignityes and bring rayling accusations agaynst those who are honoured with the name of Gods But 't is no wonder if men not fearing God should not Honour their Kings They will easily contemn such shaddowes of God who reverence not that Supreme and adorable Majesty in comparison of whom all the glory of Men Angels is but obscurity yet hath he graven such Characters of divine Authority and sacred power upon Kings as none may without sin seek to blot them out Nor shal their black veiles be able to hide the shining of My face while God gives Me a heart frequently humbly to converse with him from whom alone are all the traditions of true glory and Majesty Thou O Lord knowest My reproach and My dishonour My Adversaries are all before thee My Soule is among Lyons among them that are set on fire even the Suns of Men whose teeth are spears and arrows their tongue a sharp sword Mine Enemies reproach Me all the day long and those that are mad against me are sworn together O My God how long shall the sons of men turne my glory into shame how long shall they love vanity and seek after lies Thou hast heard the reproaches of wicked men on every side Hold not thy peace least My Enemies prevaile against me and lay mine Honour in the dust Thou O Lord shalt destroy them that speak lies the Lord will abhor both the bloud thirsty and deceitfull men Make my righteousnesse to appear as the light and mine innocency to shine forth as the Sun at noone day Suffer not my silence to betray mine innocence nor my displeasure my patience That after my Saviours example being reviled I may not revile againe being cursed by them I may blesse them Thou that wouldst not suffer Shimei's tongue to go unpunished when by thy iudgements on David he might seem to iustifie his disdainfull reproaches give me grace to intercede with thy mercy for these my enemies that the reward of false and lying tongues even hot burning coals of eternall fire may not be brought upon them Let my prayers and patience be as water to coole and quench their tongues who are already set on fire with the fire of Hell and tormented with those malicious flames Let me be happy to refute and put to silence their evill-speaking by well-doing and let them enioy not the fruit of their lips but of my prayer for their repentance and thy pardon Teach me Davids patience and Hezekiahs devotion that I may look to thy mercy through mans malice and see thy Iustice in their sin Let Sheba's seditious speeches Rabsheka's railing Shemei's cursing provoke as my humble prayer to thee so thy renewed blessing toward Me. Though they curse do thou blesse and I shall be blessed and made a blessing to my people That the stone which some builders refuse may become the head-stone of the corner Looke downe from heaven and save me from the reproach of them that would swallow me up Hide me in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man keep me from the strife of tongues 16. Vpon the Ordinance against the Common-Prayer-Booke IT is no news to have all Innovations ushered in with the name of Reformations in Church and State by those who seeking to gaine reputation with the Vulgar for their extraordinary parts and piety must needs undoe whatever was formerly setled never so well and wisely So hardly can the pride of those that study Novelties allow former times any share or degree of wisdome or godlinesse And because matter of prayer and devotion to God justly beares a great part in Religion being the Souls more immediate converse with the divine Majesty nothing could be more plausible to the peopl than to tel them They served God amisse in that point Hence our publique Liturgy or Formes of constant Prayers must be not amended in what upon free and publique advice might seeme to sober men inconvenient for matter or manner to which I should easily consent but wholly cashiered and abolished and after many popular contempts offered to the Booke and those that used it according to their Consciences and the Lawes in force it must be crucified by an Ordinance the better to please either those men who gloried in their extemporary veyn and fluency or others who conscious to their own formality in the use of it thought they fully expiated their sin of not using it aright by laying all the blame upon it and a totall rejection of it as a dead letter thereby to excuse the deadness of their hearts As for the matter contained in the book sober learned men have sufficiently vindicated it against the cavils and exceptions of those who thought it a part of piety to make what profan objections they could against it especially for Popery Superstition whereas no doubt the Liturgy was exactly conformed to the doctrine of the Church of Engl. and this by all reformed churches is confessed to be most sound and Orthodox For the manner of using Set prescribed Formes there is no doubt but that wholsome words being known fitted to mens
that degree of Honour and Majesty which becomes the Place in which thou hast set me who art the lifter up of my head and my salvation Lord by thy grace lead me to thy Glory which is both true and eternall 22. Vpon His Majesties leaving Oxford and going to the Scots ALthough God hath given Me three Kingdomes yet in these he hath noâ— now left me any place where I may witâ— Safety and Honour rest my Head Shewing me that himselfe is the fafest Refuge and the strongest Tower of defence in which I may put my Trust In these extremities I look not to man so much as to God He will have it thus that I may wholly cast my self and my now distressed affaires upon his mercy who hath both hearts and hands of all men in his dispose What providence denies to Force it may grant to Prudence Necessity is now my Counsellour and commands me to study my safety by a disguised withdrawing from my chiefest strength and adventuring upon their Loyalty who first began my Troubles Happily God may make them a means honourably to compose them This my confidence of Them may dis-arme and overcome them my rendring my Person to them may engage their affections to me who have oft professed They â—ought not against me but for me I must now resolve the riddle of their Loyalty and give them opportunity to let the world see they mean not what they do but what they say Yet must God be my chiefest Guard and My Conscience both My Counsellour and My Comforter Though I put my Body into their hands yet I shall reserve my Soule to God and my selfe nor shall any necessity compell me to desert mine Honour or swerve from my Judgement What they sought to take by force shall now be given them in such a way of unusuall confidence of them as may make them ashamed not to be really such as they ought and professed to be God sees it not enough to deprive me of all Military power to defend my self but to put me upon using their power who seem to fight against me yet ought in duty to defend me So various are all humane affaires and so necessitous may the state of Princes be that their greatest danger may be in their supposed safety and their safety in their supposed danger I must now leave those that have adhered to me and apply to those that have opposed me this method of Peace may be more prosperous than that of Warre both to stop the effusion of bloud and to close those wounds already made and in it I am no lesse solicitous for My Friends safety than mine owne chusing to venture my selfe upon further hazards rather then expose their resolute Loyalty to all extremities It is some skill in play to know when a game is lost better fairly to give over than to contest in vaine I must now study to re-inforce my judgement and fortifie my mind with Reason and Religion that I may not seem to offer up my Soules liberty or make my Conscience their Captive who ought at first to have used arguments not Armes to have perswaded my consent to their new demands I thank God no successe darkens or disguises Truth to me and I shall no lesse conforme my words to my inward dictates now than if they had been as the words of a KING ought to be among loyall Subjects full of power Reason is the divinest power I shall never think my selfe weakned while I may make full and free use of that No eclipse of outward fortune shall rob me of that light what God hath denied of outward strength his grace I hope will supply with inward resolutions not morosely to deny what is fit to be granted but not to grant any thing which Reason and Religion bids me deny I shall never think my self lesse than my self while I am able thus to preserve the Integrity of my Conscience the onely Jewell now left me which is worth keeping O thou Soveraigne of our Soules the onely Commander of our Consciences though I know not what to do yet mine eyes are toward thee To the protection of thy mercy I still commend my self As thou hast preserved me in the day of Battaile so thou canst still shew me thy strength in my weaknesse Be thou unto me in my dâ—rkest night a pillar of fire to enlighten and direct me in the day of my hottest affliction be also a pillar of cloud to overshadow and protect me be to me both a Sun and a Shield Thou knowest that it is not any perversenesse of will but just perswasions of Honor Reason and Religion which have made me thus far to hazard my Person Peace and Safety against those that by force have sought to wrest them from Mee Suffer not my just resolutions to abate with my outward Forces let a good conscience alwayes accompany me in my solitude and desertions Suffer me not to betray the powers of Reason and that fortresse of my soule which I am intrusted to keep for thee Lead me in the paths of thy righteousnesse and shew me thy salvation Make my wayes to please thee and then thou wilt make mine Enemies to be at peace with me 23. Vpon the Scots delivering the KING to the English and his Captivity at Holmeby YEt may I justifie those Scots to all the world in this that they have not deceived me for I never trusted to them further than to men If I am sold by them I am onely sorry they should doe it and that my price should be so much above my Saviours These are but further Essaies which God will have me make of mans uncertainty the more to fix me on himselfe who never faileth them that trust in him Though the Reeds of Aegypt break under the hand of him that leanes on them yet the Rock of Israel will be an everlasting stay and defence Gods providence commands me to rerire from all to himself that in him I may enjoy my selfe which I lose while I let out my hopes to others The solitude and captivity to which I am now reduced gives me leisure enough to study the worlds vanity and inconstancy God sees 't is fit to deprive me of Wife Children Army Friends and Freedom that I may be wholly his who alone is all I care not much to be reckoned among the Unfortunate if I be not in the black List of irreligious and sacrilegious Princes No Restraint shall ensnare my soul in sinne nor gaine that of me which may make my Enemies more insolent my Friends ashamed or my Name accursed They have no great cause to triumph that they have got my Person into their power since my Soule is still my owne nor shall they ever gaine my Consent against my Conscience What they call obstinacy I know God accounts honest constancy from which Reason and Religion as well as Honour forbid me to recede 'T is evident now that it was not evill Counsellours with me but a
made choice of men as no way that I know scandalous so every way eminent for their learning and piety no lesse than for their Loyalty nor can I imagine any exceptions to be made against them but only this that they may seem too able and too wel affected toward me and My service But this is not the first service as I count it the best in which they have forced Me to serve My self though I must confesse I bear with more greif and impatience the want of My Chaplains than of any other My Servants and next if not beyond in some things to the being sequestred from my Wife and Children since from these indeed more of humane and temporary affections but from those more of heavenly and eternall improvements may be expected My comfort is that in the inforced not neglected want of ordinary means God is wont to afford extraordinary supplies of his gifts and graces If his Spirit will teach me help My infirmities in prayer reading and meditation as I hope he will I shall need no other either Orator or Instructer To Thee therefore O my God doe I direct my now solitary prayers what I want of others help supply with the more immediate assistances of thy Spirit which alone can both enlighten My darkness and quicken My dulnesse O thou Sun of righteousnesse thou sacred Fountaine of heavenly light and heat at once cleare and warme my heart both by instructing of me and interceding for me In thee is all fulnesse from thee all-sufficiency By thee is all acceptance Thou art company enough and comfort enough Thou art my King be also my Prophet and my Priest Rule me teach me pray in me for me and be thou ever with me The single wrestlings of Jacob prevailed with thee in that sacred Duell when he had none to second him but thy selfe who didst assist him with power to overcome thee by a welcome violence to wrest a blessing from thee O look on me thy Servant in infinite mercy whom thou didst once blesse with the ioynt and sociated Devotions of others whose fervencie might inflame the coldnesse of my affections towards thee when we went to or met in thy House with the voice of Iâ—y and gladnesse worshiping thee in the unity of spirits and with bond of Peace O forgive the neglect and not improving of those happy opportunities It is now thy pleasure that I should be as a Pelican in the wildernesse as a Sparrow on the House top and as a coale scattered from all those pious glowings and devout reflections which might best â—indle preserve and encrease the holy fire of thy graces on the Altar of my heart whence the sacrifice of prayers and incense of praises might be duly offered up to thee Yet O thou that breakest not the bruized Reed nor quenchest the smoaking Flax do not despise the weaknesse of my prayers nor the smotherings â—f my soul in this uncomfortable loneness to which I am constrained by some mens uncharitable deniâ—lls of those helps which I much want and no lesse desire O let the hardnes of their hearts occasion the softnings of mine to thee and for Them Let their hatred kindle my love let their unreasonable deâ—â—alls of my Religious desires the more excite my prayers to thee Let their inexorahle deafnesse encline thine eare to me who art a God easie to be â—ntreated thine eare is not heavy that it cannot nor thy heart hard that it will not heare nor thy â—and shortned that it cannot help Mâ— thy desolate Suppliant Thou permittest men to deprive me of those outâ—ard means which thou hast appointed in thy Church but they cannot debarre me from the comâ—union of that inward grace which thou alone â—reathest into humble hearts O make mâ— such and thou wilt teach me thou â—ilt hear me thou wilt help me The broken and â—â—ntrite heart I know thou wilt not despise Thou O Lord canst aâ— once make me thy Temple â—hy Priest thy sacrifice and thine Altar while from an humble heart I alone daily offer up in holy meditations fervent prayers and unfeigned tears my self to thee who preparest me for thee dwelle sâ— in me â—ad acceptest of me Thou O Lord didst cause by secret supplyes miraculous infusions that the handful of meal in the vessell should not spend nor the little oyl in the cruise fail the Widow during the time of drought and dearth O look on my soul which as a Widow is now desolate and forsaken let not those saving truths I have formerly learned now fail my memory nor the sweet effusions of thy Spirit which I have sometime felt now be wanting to wy heart in this famine of ordinary and wholsome food for the refreshing of My Soul Which yet I had rather chuse than to feed fom those hands who mingle my bread with ashes and my wine with gall rather torme nting than teaching me whose mouâ—hs are proner to bitter reproaches of me â—hen to hearty prayers for me Thou knowest O Lord of truth how oft they wrest thy holy Scriptures to my destruction which are clear for their subiection and my preservation O let it not be to their damnation Thou knowest how some men under colour of long prayrs have sought to devour the houses of their Brethren their King and their God O Let not those mens balms break my head nor their Cordialls oppresse my heart I will evermore pray against their wickednesse From the poyson under their tongues from the snares of their lips from the fire and the swords of their words ever deliver Me O Lord and all those Loyall and Religious hearts who desire and delight in the prosperity of my soule and who seek by their prayers to relieve this sadnesse and solitude of thy servant O my King and my God 25. Penitentiall Meditations and Vowes in the Kings solitude at Holmeby GIve eare to my words O Lord consider my Meditations aud hearken to the voice of my cry my King and my God for unto thee will I pray I said in my hast I am cast out of the sight of thine eyes neverthelesse thou hearest the voice of my supplication when I cry unto thee If thou Lord shouldst be extream to mark what is don amisse who can abide it But there is mercy with thee that thou mayest be feared therefore shall sinners fly unto thee I acknowledge my sius before thee which have the aggravation of my condition the eminency of my place adding weight to my offence Forgive I beseech thee my Personall and my Peoples sinnes which are so far mine as I have not improved the power thou gavest me to thy glory and my Subiects good Thou hast now brought Me from the glory and freedom of a King to be a Prisoner to my oun Subiects Justly O Lord as to thy over-ruling hand because in many things I have rebelled against thee Though Thou hast restrained my Person yet enlarge my heart to Thee thy grace towards Me. 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
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