composure had others applyed them selvs to it with the same moderatioÌ„ as I did I am confident the War had then ended I was willing to condescend as far as Reason Honour and Conscience would give Me leave nor were the remaining difference so essential to My Peoples happines or of such consequence as in the least kind to have hindred My Subjects either security or prosperity for they beter enjoyed both many years before ever those demands were made some of which to deny I think the greatest Justice to My self and favour to My subjects I see Jealousies are not so easily allayed as they are raised Some men are more afraid to retreat from voilent Engagements than to Engage what is wanting in equity must be made up in pertinacy Such as had little to enjoy in Peace or to lose in warre studied to render the very name of Peace odious and suspected In Church affaires where I had least liberty of prudence having so many strict tyes of Conscience upon Me yet I was willing to condescend so far to the setling of them as might have given fair satisfaction to all men whom faction covetousnesse or superstition had not engaged more than any true zeal charity or love of reformation I was content to yeild to all that might seeme to advance true piety I onely sought to continue what was necessary in point of Order maintenance and Authority to the Churches Goverment and what I am perswaded as I have elsewhere set down My thoughts more fully is most agreeable to the true principles of all Government raised to its full stature perfection as also to the primitive Apostolicall pattern and the practise of the Universall Church conforme thereto From which wholly to recede without any probable reason urged or answered only to satisfie some mens wills and fantasies which yet agree not among themselves in any point but that of extirpating Episcopacy fighting against me must needs argue such a softnes infirmity of mind in Me as will rather part with Gods Truth than Mans peace and rather lose the Churches honour than crosse some mens Factious humours God knows and time wil discover who were most too blame for the un-succesfulness of that Treaty and who must bear the guilt of after-calamityes I beleive I am very excusable both before God and all unpassionate men who have seriously weighed those transactions wherein I endeavoured no lesse the restauration of peace to my People than the preservation of my own Crowns to my posterity Some men have that height as to interpret all fair Condescendings as Arguments of feeblenesse and glory most in an unflexible stifnesse when they see others most supple and inclinable to them A grand Maxime with them was alwaies to ask something which in reason and honour must be denied that they might have some colour to refuse all that was in other things granted setting Peace at as high a rate as the worst effects of Warre endeavouring first to make Me destroy My self by dishonourable Concessions that so they might have the lesse to do This was all which that Treaty or any other produced to let the world see how litle I would deny or they grant in order to the publik peace That it gave occasion to some mens further restivenesse is imputable to their own depraved tempers not to any Concessions or negations of Mine I have alwayes the content of what I offered and they the regret and blame for what they refused The highest tide of successe set me not above a Treaty nor the lowest ebbe below a Fight Though I never thought it any sign of true valour to be prodigall of mens lives rather then to be drawn to produce our own reasons or to subscribe to other mens That which made Me for the most part presage the unsuccessefulnes of any Treaty was some mens unwillingnesse to Treat which implyed some things were to be gained by the Sword whose unreasonablenes they were loath to have fairly scanned being more proper to be acted by Souldiers than by Councellours I pray God forgive them that were guilty of that Treaties breaking give them grace to make their advantages gotten by the the Sword a better opportunity to use such moderation as was then wanting that so though Peace were for our sins justly deferred yet at last it may be happily obtain'd what we could not get by our Treaties we may gain by our prayers O Thou that art the God of Reason and of Peace who disdâ—inest not to Treat with Sinners presenting them with offers of attonement and beseeching them to be reconciled with thy selfe â—ho wantest not power or Iustice to destroy them â—et aboundest in mercy to save so often our hearts ly the bloud of our Redeemer and perswade us to accept of Peace with my selfe and both to procure and preserve peace among our selves as Men and Christians How oft have I intreated for Peace but then I speak thereof they make them ready to War Condemne us not to our passions which are destructive both of our selves and of others Cleare up our understandings to see thy Truth both in Reason as Men and in Religion as Christians and encline all our hearts to hold the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace Take from us that enmity which is now in our hearts against thee and give us that charity which should be among our selves Remove the evils of War we have deserved and â—estow upon us that Peace which only Christ our great Peace maker cannot merit 19 Vpon the various events of the Warre Vistories and Defeats THe various Successes of this unhappy war have at least afforded Me variety of good Meditations sometimes God was pleased to try Me with victory by worsting My Enemies that I might know how with moderation and thanks to own and use his power who is only the true Lord of Hosts able when he pleases to represse the confidence of those that fought against Me with so great advantages for power and number From small beginnings on My part he let Me see that I was not wholly forsaken by My peoples love or his protection Other times God was pleased to exercise My patience and teach Me not to trust in the arme of Flesh but in the living God My sins sometimes prevailed against the justice of My Cause and those that were with Me wanted not matter and occasion for his just chastisement both of them and Me Nor were My enemies lesse punished by that prosperity which hardened them to continue that injustice by open hostility which was began by most riotous and unparliamentary Tumults There is no doubt but personall and private sins may oft times over-balance the Justice of Publick engagements nor doth God account every gallant Man in the worlds esteeme a fit instrument to assert in the way of War a righteous Cause The more men are prone to arrogate to their own skill valour and strength the lesse doth God ordinarily work by them for
these Tnmults and securing not only Our freedom in Parliament but Our very Persons in the streets I thought My self not bound by My presence to provoke them to higher boldnesse and contempts I hoped by My withdrawing to give time both for the Ebbing of their tumultuous fury and others regaining som degrees of modesty and sober sense Some may interpret it as an effect of Pusillanimity in any man for popular terrours to desert his publique station But I think it a hardinesse beyond true valour for a wise man to set him self against the breaking in of a Sea which to resist at present threatens imminent danger but to withdraw gives it space to spend its fury and gaines a fitter time to repaire the breach Certainly a Gallant man had rather sight to great disadvantages for number and place in the sield in an orderly way then skuffle with an undisciplined rabble Some suspected and affirmed that I meditated a Warre when I went from Whitehall only to redeem My Person and Conscience from violence God knowes I did not then thinke of a Warre Nor will any prudent man conceive that â— would by so many former and some after-acts have so much weakned my self if I had purposed to engage in a War which to decline by all means I denyed My self in so many particulars T is evident I had then no Army to flie unto foâ— protection or vindication Who can blame Me or any other for withdrawing our selves from the daily baitings oâ— the Tumults not knowing whether their furâ— and discontent might not fly so high as to worry and tear those in peices whom as yet they buâ— played with in their Pawes God who is Mâ— sole Judge is My Witnes in Heaven that I never had any thoughts of going from My Housâ— at Whitehall if I could have had but any reasonable fair Quarter I was resolved to bear much and did so but I did not think My self bound tâ— prostitute the Majesty of my place and Person the safety of My Wife and Children to those who are prone to insult most when they havâ— objects and opportunity most capable of theâ— rudenesse and petulancy But this businesse of the Tumults whereof some have given already an account to God others yet living know themselves desperately guilty Time and the guilt of many hath so smothered up and buried that I think it best to leave it as it is Onely I beleive the just Avenger of al disorders will in time make those men and that City see their sin in the glasse of their punishment 'T is more then an even-lay that they may one day see themselves punished by that way they offended Had this Parliament as it was in its first Election and constitution sate full and free the Members of both houses being left to their freedom of Voting as in all reason honour and Religion they should have bin I doubt not but things would have bin so carried as would have given no lesse content to all good men then they wished or expected For I was resolved to hear reason in all things to consent to it so far as I could comprehend it but as Swine are to Gardens and orderly Plantations so are Tumults to Parliaments and Plebeian concourses to publick Councels turning all into disorders and sordid confusions I am prone sometimes to think that had I called this Parliament to any other place in England as I might opportunly enough have don the sad consequences in all likelyhood with Gods blessing might have been prevented A Parliament would have bin welcom in any place no place afforded such confluence of various and vitious humours as that where it was unhappily convened But we must leave all to God who orders our disorders and magnifies his wisdom most when our follies and miseries are most discovered But thou O Lord art My refuge and defence to thee J may safely flie who rulest the raging of the Sea and the madnesse of the People The flouds O Lord the flouds are come in upon me and are readie to overwhelme me J look upon My sinnes and the sinnes of My people which are the tumults of our soules against thee O Lord as the iust cause of these popular inundations which thou permittest to overbeare all the banks of loyaltie modestie Lawes Justice and Religion But thou that gatheredst the waters into one place and madest the dry land to appeare and after did'â— asswage the floud which drowned the world by thâ— word of thy power Rebuke those beasts of thâ— People and deliver Me from the rudeness and strivingâ— of the multitude Restore we beseech thee unto us the freedomes oâ— our Councells and Parliaments make us unpassiâ—naâ—ly to see the light of reason and Religion anâ— wiâ—h all order and gravitie to follow it as it becomâ— Men and Christians so shall we praise thy name who art the God of Order and Councell What man cannot or will not repress thy â—mnipâ—tent Justice can and will O Lord give them that are yet living a timely sâ—â—ce and sorrow for their great siâ—ne whom thou knowest guiltie of raising or not suppressing those disorders Let shame here and not suffering hereafter be their punishment Set bounds to our passions by Reason to our errour by Truth to our seditions by lawes duly executed and to our schisms by Charitie that we may bâ— as thy Jerusalem a Citie at unitie in it selfe This grant O My God in thy good time for Iesus Christs sake Amen 5Vpon his Maiesties passing the bill for Trieniall Parliaments and after setling this during the pleasure of the two houses THat the world might be fully confirmed in My purposes at first to contribute what in Justice Reason Honour and Conscience I could to the happy successe of this Parliament which had in me no other designe but the generall Good of My Kingdoms I willingly passed the Bill for Trieniall Parliaments which as gentle and seasonablâ— Physick might if well applyed prevent any distempers from getting any head or prevailing especially if the remedy proved not a desease beyond all remedy I conceived this Parliament would sind work with convenient Recesses for the first 3. yeares But I did not imagine that some Men would thereby have occasioned more work then they found to do by undoing so much as they found well don to their hands Such is some mens activity that they will needs make worke rather then want it chuse to be doing amisse rather then doe nothing When that first Act seemed too scanty to satisfy some mens fears and compasse publick affairs I was perswaded to grant that BILL of Sitting during the pleasure of the Houses which amounted in some mens sense to as much as the perpetuating of this Parliament By this Act of highest confidence I hoped for ever to shut out and lock the door upon all present jealousies and future mistakes I confesse I did not thereby intend to shut My selfe out of doores as some men have now requited Me.
commonweal The eldest son must be involved in the punishment as he was infected with the sinne of the Father against the Father of his country root branch God cuts off in one day These observations are obvious to every fancy God knows I was so far from rejoycing in the Hotham's ruine though it were such as were able to give the greatest thirst for revenge a ful draught being executed by them who first imployed him against Me that I so far pitied him as I thought he at first acted more against the light of his Conscience then I hope many other men do in the same cause For he was never thought to be of that superstitious sowrnesse which some men pretend to in matters of Religion which so darkens their judgment that they cannot see any thing of Sin and Rebellion in those means they use with intents to refrom to their Models what they call Religion who think all is Gold of piety which doth but glister with a shew of Zeale fervency Sir John Hotham was I think a man of another temper and so most liable to those downright temptations of ambition which have no cloak or cheat of religion to impose upon themselves or others That which makes me more pity him is that after he begun to have some inclinations towards a repentance for his sinne and reparations of his duty to Me He should be so unhappy as to fall into the hands of their Justice and not my Mercy who could as willingly have forgiven him as he could have asked that favour of Me. For I think clemency a debt which wee ought to pay to those that crave it when wee have cause to beleive they would not after abuse it since God himself suffers us not to pay any thing for his mercy but only prayers and praises Poor Gentleman he is now become a noteable monument of unprosperous disloyalty teaching the world by so sad and unfortunate a spectacle that the rude carriage of a Subject towards his Soveraigne carries alwayes its own vengeance as an unseparable shadow with it and those oft prove the most fatall and implacable Executioners of it who were the first imployers in the service After-times will dispute it whether Hotham were more infamous at Hull or at Tower-hill though 't is certain that no punishment so stains a mans Honour as wilfull perpetrations of unworthy actions which besides the conscience of the sin brands with most indelible characters of infamy the name memory to posterity who not engaged in the Factions of the times have the most impartiall reflections on the actions But thou O Lord who hast in so remarkable a way avenged thy servant suffer me not to take any secret pleasure in it for as his death hath satisfyed the iniury he did to me so let me not by it gratifie any passion in me lest I make thy vengeance to be mine consider the affront against me more then the sinne against thee Thou indeed without any desire or endeavour of mine hast made his mischief to return on his own head and his violent dealing to come down on his own pate Thou hast pleaded my cause even before the sons of men and taken the matter into thine own hands that men may know it was thy work and see that thou Lord hast done it I do not I dare not say so let mine enemies perish O Lord yea Lord rather give them repentance pardon and impunity if it be thy blessed will Let not thy iustice prevent the obiects and opportunities of my mercy yea let them live and amend who have most offended me in so high a nature that I may have those to forgive who beare most proportion in their offences to those trespasses against thy Maiesty which I hope thy mercy hath forgiven me Lord lay not their sins who yet live to their charge for condemnation but to their consciences for amendment Let the lightning of this Thunderbolt which hath been so severe a punishment to one be a torrour to all Discover to them their sinne who know not they have done amisse and scare them from their sinne that sin of malicious wickednesse That preventing thy Iudgements by their true repentance they may escape the strokes of thine eternall vengeance And do thou O Lord establish the Throne of thy servant in mercy and truth meeting together let my Crown ever flourish in righteousnesse and peace kissing each other Heare my prayer O Lord who hast taught us to pray for to do good to and to love our Enemies for thy sake who hast prevented us with offertures of thy love even when we were thine Enemies and hast sent thy Son Iesus Christ to die for us when we were disposed to crucifie him 9. Vpon the listing and raising Armies against the King I Finde that I am at the same point and posture I was when they forced Me to leave White-Hall what Tumults could not doe an Army must which is but Tumults listed and enrolled too a better order but as bad an end My recesse hath given them confidence that I may be conquered And so I easily may as to any outward strength which God knowes is little or none at all But I have a Soule invincible through Gods grace enabling Me here I am sure to be Conqueror if God will give Me such a measure of Constancy as to feare him more then man and to love the inward peace of My Conscience before any outward tranquility And must I be opposed with force because they have not reason wherewith to convince Me O My Soule be of good courage they confesse their knowne weaknesse as to truth and Justice who choose rather to contend by Armies then by Arguments Is this the reward and thanks that I am to receive for those many Acts of Grace I have lately passed and for those many Indignities I have endured Is there no way left to make Me a glorious KING but by My sufferings It is a hard and disputable choice for a King that loves his People and desires their love either to kill his own Subjects or to be killed by them Are the hazards and miseries of Civill War in the bowels of My most flourishing Kingdome the fruits I must now reap after 17. years living and reigning among them with such a measure of Justice Peace Plenty and Religion as all Nations about either admired or envied notwithstanding some miscarriages in Government which might escape rather through ill counsell of some men driving on their private ends or the peevishnes of others envying the publike should be managed without them or the hidden and insuperable necessities of State then any propensity I hope of my selfe either to injuriousnes or oppression Whose innocent bloud during My Reign have I shed to satisfie My lust anger or covetousnes what Widdowes or Orphans tears can witnesse against me the just cry of which must now be avenged with My own bloud For the hazards of War are equall nor doth the
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
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
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
all men in their own case esteem injurious unreasonable as being against the very natural and essentiall liberty of our souls yet it should be invalid and to be broken in another clause wherein I think my self justly obliged both to God Man Yet upon this Rack chiefly have I been held so long by some mens ambitious covetousnesse and Sacrilegious Cruelty torturing with Me both Church and State in Civill dissentions till I shall be forced to consent and declare that I doe approve what God knowes I utterly dislike and in My Soul abhorre as many wayes highly against Reason Justice and Religion and whereto If I should shamefully and dishonourably give My consent yet should I not by so doing satisfie the divided Interests and Opinions of those Parties which contend with each other as well as both against Me and Episcopacy Nor can My late condesending to the Scots in point of Church-government be rightly objected against Me as an inducement for Me to consent to the like in My other Kingdoms For it should be considered that Episcopacy was not so rooted and setled there as 't is here nor I in that respect so strictly bound to continue it in that Kingdom as in this for what I think in My judgement best I may not think so absolutly necessary for all places and at all times If any shall impute My yeelding to them as My failing and sin I can easily acknowledge it but that is no argument to do so again or much worse I being now more convinced in that point nor indeed hath My yeelding to them bin so happy and successefull as to incourage Me to grant the like to others Did I see any thing more of Christ as to Meeknesse Justice Order Charity and Loyalty in those that pretend to other modes of Government I might suspect My judgement to be biased or fore-stalled with some prejudice wontednes of opinion but I have hitherto so much cause to suspect the contrary in the manners of many of those men that I cannot from them gain the least reputation for their new wayes of Government Nor can I find that in any Reformed Churches whose paterns are so cryed up and obtruded upon the Churches under My Dominion that either Learning or Religion works of Piety or Charity have so flourished beyond what they have done in My Kingdomes by Gods blessing which might make me beleive either Presbytery or Independency have a more benigne influence upon the Church and mens hearts and lives than Episcopacy in its right constitution The abuses of which deserve to be extirpated as much as the use retained for I think it far better to hold to primitive uniform Antiquity than to comply with divided novelty A right Episcopacy would at once satisfie all just desires and interests of good Bishops humble Presbyters and sober people so as Church affairs should be managed neither with tyranny purity nor popularity neither Bishops ejected nor Presbiters despised nor People oppressed And in this integrity both of My judgment Conscience I hope God will preserve Me. For Thou O Lord knowest My uprightnesse and tendernesse as thou hast set me to be a Defender of the Faith and a Protector of thy Church so susser me not by any violence to be overborn against My Conscience Arise O Lord maintaine thine own Cause let not thy Church be deformed as to that Government which derived from thy Apostles hath been retained in purest and primitive times till thâ— Revenues of the Church became the obiect of secular envy which seeks to rob it of all the incouragements of Learning and Religion Make me as the good Samaritan compassionate and helpfull to thy afflicted Church which some men have wounded and robbed others passe by without regard either to pitty or relieve As my power is from thee so give me grace to use it for thee And though I am not suffered to be Master of my other Rights as a KING yet preserve me in that liberty of Reason love of Religion and thy Churches welfare which are fixed in my Censcience as a Christian Preserve from sacrilegious invasions those temporall blessings which thy providence hath bestowed on thy Church for thy glory Forgive their sinnes and errours who have deserved thy iust permission thus to let in the wilde Boar and subtill Foxes to wast and deforme thy Vineyard which thy right hand hath planted and the dew of Heaven so long watred to a happy and flourishing estate O let me not bear the infamous brand to all Posterity of being the the first Christian KING in this Kingdom who should consent to the oppressions of thy Church and the fathers of it whose errours I would rather with Constantine cover with silence and reform with meeknesse than expose their persons and sacred functions to vulgar contempt Thou O Lord seest how much I have suffered with and for thy Church make no long tarrying O my God to deliver hoth me and it from unreasonable men whose counsels have brought forth and continue such violent confusions by a precipitant destroying the ancient boundaries of thy Churches peace thereby letting in all manner of errours schismes and disorders O thou God of order and of truth in thy good time abate the malice aswage the rage and confound all the mischievous devices of thine mine and thy Churches enemies That I and all that love thy Church may sing praises to thee and ever magnifie thy salvation even before the sons of men 18 Vpon Vxbridge-treaty and other Offers made by the King I Look upon the way of Treaties as a retiring from fighting like Beasts to arguing like Men whose strength should be more in their understandings than in their limbs And though I could seldome get opportunities to Treat yet I never wanted either desire or disposition to it having greater confidence of My Reason than My Sword I was so wholly resolved to yeeld to the first that I thought neither My selfe nor others should need to use the second if once we rightly understood each other Nor did I ever think it a diminution of Me to prevent them with Expresses of My desires and even importunities to Treat It being an office not onely of humanity rather to use Reason than Force but also of Christianity to seek peace and ensue it As I was very unwillingly compelled to defend My self with Arms so I very willingly embraced any thing tending to peace The events of all War by the sword being very dubious and of a Civill VVarre uncomfortable the end had hardly recompencing late repairing the mischief of the means Nor did any successe I had ever enhance with Me the price of Peace as earnestly desired by Me as any man though I was like to pay dearer for it then any man All that I sought to reserve was Mine Honour and My Conscience the one I could not part with as a KING the other as a Christian The Treaty at Uxbridge gave the fairest hopes of an hapdy
designes which no doubt many of them by this time discover though they dare not but smother their frustrations and discontents The specious and popular titles of Christs Government Throne Scepter and Kingdome which certainly is not divided nor hath two faces as their Parties now have at least also the noise of a through Reformation these may as easily be fixed on new modells as faire colours may be put to ill-favoured figures The breaking of Church-windowes which Time had sufficiently defaced pulling downe of Crosses which were but civill not Religious marks defacing of the Monuments and Inscriptions of the Dead which served but to put Posterity in mind to thank God for that clearer light wherein they live The leaving of all Ministers to their liberties and private abilities in the Publike service of God where no Christian can tell to what he may say Amen nor what adventure he may make of seeming at least to consent to the Errours Blasphemies and ridiculous Undecencies which bold and ignorant men list to vent in their Prayers Preaching and other offices The setting forth also of old Catechismes and Confessions of Faith new drest importing as much as if there had been no sound or cleare Doctrine of Faith in this Church before some foure or five yeares consultation had matured their thoughts touching their first Principles of Religion All these and the like are the effects of popular specious and deceitfull Reformations that they might not seem to have nothing to doe and may give some short flashes of content to the Vulgar who are taken with novelties as Children with Babies very much but not very long But all this amounts not to nor can in Justice merit the glory of the Churches thorow Reformation since they leave all things more deformed disorderly and discontented then when they began in point of Piety Morality Charity and good Order Nor can they easilâ— recompense or remedy the inconveniences and mischiefs which they have purchased so dearly and which have and ever will necessarily ensue till due remedies be applied I wish they would at last make it their Unanimous work to doe Gods work and not their owne Had Religion been first considered as it merited much trouble might have been prevented But some men thought that the Government of this Church and State fixed by so many Lawes and long Customes would not run into their new moulds till they had first melted it in the fire of a Civill Warre by the advantages of which they resolved if they prevailed to make my selfe and all my Subjects fall down and worship the Images they should forme and set up If there had been as much of Christs Spirit for meeknesse wisdome and charity in mens hearts as there was of his Name used in the pretensions to reforme all to Christs Rule it would certainly have obtained more of Gods blessing and produced more of Christs Glory the Churches good the Honour of Religion and the Unity of Christians Publique Reformers had need first Act in private and practice that on their owne hearts which they purpose to trie on others for Deformities within will soon betray the pretenders of publike Reformations to such private designs as must needs hinder the publike good I am sure the right Methods of Reforming the Church cannot consist with that of perturbing the Civill State nor can Religion be justly advanced by depressing Loyalty which is one of the chiefest Ingredients and Ornaments of true Religion for next to fear God is Honour the King I doubt not but Christs Kingdome may be set up without pulling downe Mine nor will any men in impartiall times appear good Christians that approve not themselves good Subjects Christs Government will confirm Mine not overthrow it since as I own mine from him so I desire to rule for his Glory and his Churches good Had some men truly intended Christ's Government or knew what it meant in their hearts they could never have been so ill-governed in in their words and actions both against me and one another As good ends cannot justifie evill meanes so nor will evill beginnings ever bring forth good conclusions unlesse God by a miracle of Mercy create Light out of Darknesse order out of our confusions and peace out of our passions Thou O Lord who onely canst give us beauty for ashes and Truth for Hypocrisie suffer us not to be miserably deluded with Pharisaicall washings instead of Christian reformings Our greatest deformities are within make us the severest Censurers and first Reformers of our own soules That we may in clearnesse of judgment and uprightnesse of heart be means to reform what is indeed amisse in Church and State Create in us clean hearts O Lord and renew right spirits within us that we may do all by thy directions to thy glory and with thy blessing Pity the deformities which some rash and cruell Reformers have brought upon this Church and State Quench the fires which Factions have kindled under the pretence of Reforming As thou hast shewed the world by their divisions and confusions what is the pravity of some mens intentions and weaknesse of their judgments so bring â—s at last more refined out of these fires by the methods of Christian and charitable Reformations wherein nothing of ambition revenge covetousnesse or srcriledge may have any influence upon their coâ—nsells whom thy providence in just and lawfull wayes shall entrust with so great good and now most necessary work that I and my People may be so blest with inward piety as may best teach us how to use the blessing of outward peace 21. Vpon his Majesties Letters taken and divulged THe taking of my Letters was an opportunity which as the malice of mine enemies could hardly have expected so they knew not how with honour and civility to use it Nor doe I think with sober and worthy minds any thing in them could tend so much to my reproach as the odious divulging of them did to the infamy of the Divulgers the greatest experiments of vertue and noblenesse being discovered in the greatest advantages against an enemy and the greatest obligations being those which are put upon us by them from whom we could least have expected them And such I should have esteemed the concealing of My Papers The freedome and secresie of which commands a civility from all men not wholly barbarous nor is there any thing more inhumane than to expose them to publique view Yet since providence will have it so I am content so much of My heart which I study to approve to Gods omniscience should be discovered to the world without any of those dresses or popular captations which some men use in their Speeches and Expresses I wish my Subjects had yet a clearer sight into my most retired thoughts Where they might discover how they are divided between the love and care I have not more to preserve my owne Rights than to procure their peace and happinesse and that extreme griefe to see them both
than from those who engage into religious Rebellion Their interest is alwaies made Gods under the colours of Piety ambitious policies march not only with greatest security but applause as to the populacy you may heare from them Iacob's voyce but you shall feel they have Esau's hands Nothing seemed lesse considerable then the Presbyterian Faction in England for many yeeres so compliant they were to publique order nor indeed was their party great either in Church or State as to mens judgments But as soon as discontents drave men into Sidings as ill humors fall to the dissaffected part which causes inflamations so did all at first who affected any novelties adhere to that Side as the the most remarkable and specious note of difference then in point of Religion All the lesser Factions at first were officious Servants to Presbytery their great Masters till time and military successe discovering to each their peculiar advantages invited them to part stakes and leaving the joynt stock of uniform Religion pretended each to drive for their Party the trade of profits preferments to the breaking and undoing not only of the Church and State but even of Presbytery it Selfe which seemed and hoped at first to have ingrosed all Let nothing seem little or despicable to you in matters which concern Religion the churches peace so as to neglect a speedy reforming an effectuall suppressing Errours and Schisms which seem at first but as a hand bredth by seditious Spirits as by strong winds are soon made to cover and darken the whole Heaven VVhen you have done justice to God your owne soule and his Church in the profession and preservation both of truth and unity in Religion the next maine hinge on which your prosperity will depend and move is that of civil Justice wherein the setled Lawes of these Kingdomes to which you are rightly Heire are the most excellent rules you can governe by which by an admirable temperament give very much to Subjects industry liberty and happinesse and yet reserve enough to the Majesty and prerogative of any King who ownes his People as Subjects not as Slaves whose subjection as it preserves their property peace and safety so it will never diminish your rights nor their ingenuous Liberties which consists in the enjoyment of the fruits of their industry and the benefit of those Lawes to which themselves have consented Never charge your head with such a Crown as shall by its heavinesse oppresse the whole body the weaknesse of whose parts cannot returne any things of strength honour or safety to the head but a necessary debiliatation and ruine Your Prerogative is best shewed and exercised in remitting rather then exacting the rigor of the Lawes there being nothing worse than legall Tyranny In these two points the preservation of established Religion and Lawes I may without vanity turn the reproach of My sufferings as to the worlds censure into the honour of a kind of Martyrdome as to the testimony of my own Conscience The Troublers of My Kingdomes have nothing else to object against Me but this That I preferre Religion and Laws established before those alterations they propounded And so indeed I doe and ever shall till I am convinced by better Arguments then what hitherto hath been chiefly used towards Me Tumults Armies and Prisons I cannot yet learne that lesson nor I hope ever will you That it is safe for a King to gratifie any Faction with the perturbation of the Laws in which is wrapt up the publick Interest and the good of the Community How God will deal with Me as to the removal of these pressures and indignities which his justice by the very unjust hands of some of My Subjects hath been pleased to lay upon Me I cannot tell nor am I much solicitous what wrong I suffer from men while I retaine in My foule what I beleive is right before God I have offered all for Reformation and Safety that in Reason Honour and Conscience I can reserving only what I cannot consent unto without an irreparable injury to My owne Soule the Church and My People and to You also as the next and undoubted Heire of My Kingdoms To which if the divine Providence to whom no difficulties are insuperable shall in his due time after My decease bring you as I hope he will My counsell and charge to You is That You seriously consider the former reall or objected miscarriages which might occasion My troubles that you may avoid them Never repose so much upon any mans single councell fidelity and discretion in managing affairs of the first magnitude that is matters of Religion and Justice as to create in Your selfe or others a diffidence of Your own judgement which is likely to be alwayes more constant and impartiall to the interests of your Crowne and Kingdom then any mans Next beware of exasperating any Factions by the crosnesse and asperity of some mens passions humours and private opinions imployed by You grounded onely upon the differences in lesser matters which are but the skirts subbâ—rbs of religion Wherein a charitable connivence and Christian toleration often dissipates their strength whoÌ„ rougher opposition fortifies and puts the despised and oppressed Party into such Combinations as may most enable them to get a full revenge on those they count their Persecutors who are commonly assisted by that vulgar commiseration which attends al that are said to suffer under the notion of Religon Provided the differences amount not to an insolent opposition of Laws and Government or Religion established as to the essentials of them such motions and minings are intollerable Alwaies keep up solid piety and those fundamentall Truths which mend both hearts and lives of men with impartiall favour and justice Take heed that outward circumstances and formalities of Religion devour not all or the best encouragements of learning industry and piety but with an equall eye and impartiall hand distribute favours and rewards to all men as you find them for their reall goodnesse both in abilities and fidelity worthy and capable of them This will be sure to gaine You the hearts of the best and the most too who though they be not good themselves yet are glad to see the severer wayes of virtue at any time sweetned by temporall rewards I have you see conflicted with different and opposite Factions for so I must needs call and count all those that Act not in any conformity to the Lawes established in Church and State no sooner have they by force subdued what they counted their Common Enemy that is all those that have adheered to the Lawes and to Mee and are secured from that fear but they are divided to so high a rivarly as sets them more at defiance against each other than against their first Antagonists Time will dissipate all factions when once the rough horns of private mens covetous and ambitious designes shall discover themselves which were at first wrapt up and hidden under the soft and