breath, more to kindle my compassion; Give me grace to heap charitable
coales of fire upon their heads to melt them, whose malice or cruel
zeal hath kindled, or hindred the quenching of those flames, which
hath so much wasted my three Kingdoms._
_O rescue and assist those poor Protestants in IRELAND, whom thou hast
hitherto preserved._
_And lead those in the ways of thy saving Truths, whose Ignorance or
Errors have filled them with rebellious and destructive Principles,
which they act under an opinion, That they do thee good service._
_Let the hand of thy justice be against those, who malitiously and
despightfully have raised or fomented these cruel and desperate Wars._
_Thou that art far from destroying the innocent with the guilty, & the
erroneous with the malicious; thou that hadst pitty on_ Niniveh _for
the many children that were therein, give not over the whole stock
of that populous and seduced Nation, to the wrath of those, whose
covetousness makes them cruel; nor to their anger, which is too
fierce, and therefore justly cursed._
_Preserve, if it be thy will, in the midst of the furnace of thy
severe justice, a Posterity which may praise thee for thy mercie._
_And deal with me, not according to mans unjust reproaches, but
according to the innocency of my Hands in thy sight._
_If I have desired or delighted in the wofull day of my Kingdoms
calamities, If I have not earnestly studied, and faithfully
endeavoured the preventing and composing of these bloody Distractions;
then let thy hand be against me and my Fathers House. O Lord thou
seest I have enemies enough of men; as I need not, so should I not
dare thus to imprecate thy curse on me and mine, if my Conscience did
not witnesse my integrity, which thou, O Lord, knowest right well. But
I trust not to my own merit, but thy mercies; spare us, O Lord, and be
not angry with us for ever._
* * * * *
_13. Upon the calling in of the_ SCOTS, _and their Comming._
The _Scots_ are a Nation, upon whom I have not onely common ties of
Nature, Soveraignty, and Bounty, with My Father of blessed memory; but
also speciall and late obligations of favours, having gratified the
active Spirits among them so far, that I seemed to many to prefer the
desires of that party, before My own interest and honor. But, I see,
Royall bountie emboldens some men to ask, and act beyond all bounds of
modesty and gratitude.
My charity, and Act of Pacification, forbids Me to reflect on former
passages, wherin I shal ever be far from letting any mans ingratitude,
or inconstancy, make me repent of what I granted them for the publique
good: I pray God it may so prove.
The coming again of that Party into _England_, with an Army only
to conforme this Church to their late New model, cannot but seem as
unreasonable, as they would have thought the same measure offered from
hence to themselves.
Other errand I could never understand, they had, (besides those common
and vulgar flourishes for Religion and Liberty) save only to confirme
the Presbyterian Copy they had set, by making this Church to write
after them, though it were in bloudy Characters.
Which design and end, whether it will justifie the use of such violent
means, before the divine Justice, I leave to their Consciences to
judge, who have already felt the misery of the means, but not reaped
the benefit of the end, either in this Kingdom, or that.
Such knots and crosseness of grain being objected here, as will hardly
suffer that form which they cry up, as the only just reformation, and
settling of Government and Discipline in Churches to go on so smoothly
here, as it might do in _Scotland_; and was by them imagined would
have done in _England_, when so many of the _English_ Clergy, through
levity, or discontent, if no worse passion, suddenly quitted their
former engagements to Episcopacy, and faced about to their Presbytery.
It cannot but seem either passion, or some self-seeking, more then
true Zeal, and pious discretion, for any forraign State or Church to
prescribe such medicins only for others, which themselves have used,
rather successefully then commendably; not considering that the same
Physick on different constitutions, will have different operations:
That may kill one, which doth but cure another.
Nor do I know any such tough and malignant humours in the constitution
of the _English_ Church, which gentler applications then those of an
Army, might not easily have removed: Nor is it so proper to hew out
Religious Reformations by the sword, as to polish them by fair & equal
disputations among those that are most concerned in the differences,
whom not force, but reason ought to convince.
But their design now seemed rather to cut off all disputation here,
then to procure a fair and equal one: For it was concluded there, That
the _English_ Clergy must conform to the _Scots_ pattern before ever
they could be heard, what they could say for themselves, or against
the others way.
I could have wished fairer proceedings both for their credits, who
urge things with such violence; and for other mens Consciences
too; who can receive litle satisfaction in these points which are
maintained rather by Souldiers fighting in the Field, then Scholars
disputing in free and learned Synods.
Sure in matters of Religion those truths gain most on mens Judgments
and Consciences, which are least urged with secular violence, which
weakens truth with prejudices; and is unreasonable to be used, till
such means of rational conviction hath been applied, as leaving no
excuse for ignorance, condemns mens obstinacy to deserved penalties.
Which no charity will easily suspect of so many learned and pious
Church-men in _England_; who being alwaies bred up, and conformable
to the Government of Episcopacy, cannot so soon renounce both their
former opinion & practice, only because that Party of the _Scots_
will needs, by force assist a like Party here, either to drive all
Ministers as sheep, into the common fold of Presbyterie, or destroy
them; at least fleece them, by depriving them of the benefit of their
Flocks. If the _Scotch_ sole Presbyterie were approved to be the
only Institution of Jesus Christ, for all Churches Government; yet I
beleeve it would be hard to prove that Christ had given those _Scots_,
or any other of my Subjects, Comission by the Sword, to set it up in
any of my Kingdomes, without my consent.
What respect and obedience Christ and his Apostles payd to the chief
governors of States, where they lived, is very cleer in the Gospel:
but that he, or they ever commanded to set up such a parity of
Presbyters, and in such a way as those _Scots_ endeavour, I think is
not very disputable.
If Presbyterie in such a Supremacy be an institution of Christ,
sure it differs from all others: and is the first and only point
of Christianity, that was to be planted and watered with so much
Christian bloud; whose effusions run in a stream so contrary to that
of the Primitive planters, both of Christianity and Episcopacy, which
was with patient shedding of their own bloud, not violently drawing
other mens: sure there is too much of Man in it, to have much of
Christ; none of whose institutions were carried on, or begun with
the temptations of Covetousness or Ambition, of both which this is
vehemently suspected.
Yet was there never any thing upon the point which those _Scots_ had
by an Army or Commissioners to move Me with, by their many Solemn
obtestations, and pious threatnings, but only this, to represent to me
the wonderful necessity of setting up their Presbytery in _England_,
to avoid the further miseries of a War, which some men chiefly on
this design at first had begun, & now further engaged themselves to
continue.
What hinders that any Sects, Schisms, or Heresies, if they can get but
numbers, strength and opportunity, may not, according to this opinion
and pattern, set up their wayes by the like methods of violence?
all which Presbitery seeks to suppresse, & render odious under those
names: when wise & learned men think, that nothing hath more marks
of Schism, and Sectarism, then this Presbyterian way, both as to the
Ancient, and still most Universal way of the Church-government,
and especially as to the particular Laws and Constitutions of this
_English_ Church, which are not yet repealed, nor are like to be for
me, till I see more Rational and Religious motives, then Souldiers use
to carry in their Knapsacks.
But we must leave the successe of all to God, who hath many wayes
(having first taken us off from the folly of our opinions, and fury
of our passion) to teach us those rules of true Reason, and peaceable
Wisdom, which is from above, tending most to Gods glory, and his
Churches good: which I think my self so much the more bound in
Conscience to attend, with the most judicious zeal and care, by how
much I esteem the Church above the State, the glory of Christ above
mine Own: and the Salvation of mens Souls above the preservation of
their Bodies and Estates.
Nor may any men, I think, without sin and presumption, forcibly
endeavour to cast the Churches under my care and tuition, into the
moulds they have fancied, & fashioned to their designs, till they have
first gained my consent, and resolved, both mine own and other mens
Consciences by the strength of their Reasons.
Other violent motions, w^{ch} are neither Manly, Christian, nor Loyal,
shall never either shake or settle my Religion, nor any mans else who
knows what Religion means: And how far it is removed from all Faction,
whose proper engine is force, the arbitrator of beasts, not of
reasonable men, much lesse of humble Christians, and loyal Subjects,
in matters of Religion.
But men are prone to have such high conceits of themselves, that they
care not what cost they lay out upon their opinions: especially those
that have some temptation of gain, to recompence their losses and
hazards.
Yet I was not more scandalized at the _Scots_ Armies coming in against
my will, and their forfeiture of so many obligations of duty, and
gratitude to me: then I wondred how those here, could so much distrust
Gods assistance, who so much pretended Gods cause to the people, as
if they had the certainty of some divine Revelation; considering
they were more then competently furnished with my Subjects Arms and
Ammunition, my Navie by Sea, my Forts, Castles and Cities by Land.
But I finde that men jealous of the Justificableness of their doings,
and designs before God, never thinke they have humane strength enough
to carry their work on, seem it never so plausible to the people; what
cannot be justified in Law and Religion, had need to be fortified with
power.
And yet such is the inconstancy that attends all minds engaged in
violent motion, that whom some of them one while earnestly invite to
come in to their assistance; others of them soon after are weary of,
and with nauseating cast them out: what one party thought to rivet
to a setlednes by the strength and influence of the _Scots_, that the
other rejects and contemns; at once, despising the Kirk-government,
& discipline of the _Scots_, and frustrating the successe of so
chargeable, more then charitable assistance: For, sure the Church
of _England_ might have purchased at a far cheaper rate, the Truth
& happines of Reformed Government and Discipline (if it had been
wanting) though it had entertained the best Divines of Christendom for
their advice in a ful & free Synod; which, I was ever willing to,
and desirous of, that matters being impartially setled, might be more
satisfactory to all, and more durable.
But much of Gods justice, & mans folly will at length be discovered,
through all the filmes and pretentions of Religion, in which
Polititians wrap up their designes: in vaine do men hope to build
their Piety on the Ruines of loyalty. Nor can those considerations or
designes be durable, when Subjects make bankrupt of their Allegiance,
under pretence of setting up a quicker trade for Religion.
But, as my best Subjects of _Scotland_ never deserted me, so I cannot
think that the most are gone so far from me, in a prodigality of
their love and respects towards me, as to make me to despair of their
return; when besides the bonds of Nature and Conscience which they
have to me, all Reason and true Policy will teach them, That their
chiefest interest consists in their fidelity to the Crown, not in
their serviceableness to any Party of the People, to a neglect and
betraying of my Safety and Honor for their own advantages: However the
lesse cause I have to trust to men, the more I shall apply my Self to
God.
_The Troubles of my Soul are enlarged, O Lord, bring thou me out of my
distresse._
_Lord direct thy Servant in the ways of that pious simplicity, which
is the best policie._
_Deliver me from the combined strength of those, who have so much of
the Serpents subtilty, that they forget the Doves Innocency._
_Though hand joyn in hand, yet let them not prevail against my Soul,
to the betraying of my Conscience and Honour._
_Thou, O Lord, canst turn the hearts of those Parties in both Nations,
as thou didst the men of_ Judah _and ISRAEL, to restore_ David _with
as much loyal zeal, as they did with inconstancy and eagernesse pursue
him._
_Preserve the love of thy truth and uprightness in me, and I shall not
despair of My Subjects affections returning towards me._
_Thou canst soon cause the overflowing Seas to ebbe, and retire back
again to the bounds which thou hast appointed for them._
_O My God, I trust in thee; let me not be ashamed; let not my enemies
triumph over me._
_Let them be ashamed who transgress without a cause; let them be
turned back that persecute my soul._
_Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait on thee O
Lord._
_Redeem thy Church, O God, out of all its Troubles._
* * * * *
_14. Upon the Covenant._
The _Presbyterian Scots_ are not to be hired at the ordinary rate of
Auxiliaries; nothing will induce them to engage, till those that
call them in, have pawned their Souls to them, by a Solemn League and
Covenant.
Where many engines of religious and fair pretensions are brought
chiefly to batter or rase Episcopacy: This they make the grand evil
Spirit, which with other Imps purposely added, to make it more odious,
& terrible to the Vulgar, must by so solemn a charm & exorcism be cast
out of this Church, after more then a thousand years possession here,
from the first plantation of Christianity in this Island, and an
universal prescription of time and practice in all other Churches
since the Apostles times till this last Century.
But no Antiquity must plead for it; Presbytery like a young Heir,
thinks the Father hath lived long enough, & impatient not to be in the
Bishops chair and authority (though Lay-men go away with the Revenus)
all art is used to sink Episcopacy, and lanch Presbytery in _England_;
which was lately boyed up in _Scotland_ by the late artifice of a
Covenant.
Although I am unsatisfied with many passages in that Covenant some
referring to my self with very dubious and dangerous limitations (yet
I chiefly wonder at the design and drift touching the Discipline and
Government of the Church); and such a manner of carrying them on to new
ways, by Oaths and Covenants, where it is hard for men to be engaged
by no less, then swearing for, or against those things, which are of
no clear morall necessity, but very disputable, and controverted among
learned and godly men: whereto the application of Oaths can hardly be
made and enjoyned with that judgment and certainty in ones self, or
that charity or candour to others of different opinion, as I think
religion requires, which never refuses fair and equable deliberations;
yea, and dissentings too, in matters only probable.
The enjoyning of Oaths upon People must needs in things doubtfull be
dangerous, as in things unlawfull, damnable; and no lesse superfluous,
where former Religious and Legal Engagements, bound men sufficiently,
to all necessary duties. Nor can I see how they will reconcile such an
Innovating Oath and Covenant, with their former Protestation which was
so lately taken, to maintain the Religion established in the Church of
_England_; since they count Discipline so great a part of Religion.
But ambitious minds never think they have laid snares and ginnes
enough to catch and hold the vulgar credulity: for by such politicke
and seemingly pious stratagems, they think to keep the popularity fast
to their Parties under the terrour of perjury: Whereas certainly all
honest and wise men ever thought themselves sufficiently bound by
former ties of Religion, Allegiance, and lawes, to God and man.
Nor can such after-contracts, devised and imposed by a few men in
a declared Party, without my consent, and without any like power or
president from Gods or mans laws, be ever thought by judicious men
sufficient either to obsolve or slacked those moral and eternall bonds
of duty which lie upon all My Subjects consciences both to God and me.
Yet as things now stand, good men shall least offend God or Me, by
keeping their Covenant in honest and lawfull wayes; since I have the
charity to think, that the chief end of the Covenant in such mens
intentions, was, to preserve Religion in purity, and the Kingdoms in
peace: To other then such ends and meanes they cannot think themselves
engaged; nor will those, that have any true touches of Conscience
endeavour to carry on the best designes, (much lesse such as are, and
will be daily more apparently factious and ambitious) by any unlawfull
means, under that title of the Covenant: unlesse they dare preferre
ambiguous, dangerous and un-authorized novelties, before their known
and sworn duties, which are indespensable, both to God and my self.
I am prone to beleeve and hope, That many who took the Covenant, are
yet firme to this judgment, That such latter Vowes, Oaths, or Leagues,
can never blot out those former gravings, and characters, which by
just and lawfull Oaths were made upon their Souls.
That which makes such Confederations by way of Solemn Leagues and
Covenants more to be suspected, is, That they are the common road,
used in all factious and powerfull perturbations of State or Church:
when formalities of extraordinary zeal and piety are never more
studied and elaborate, then, when Polititians most agitate desperate
designes against all that is setled, or sacred in Religion, and Laws,
which by such scrues are cunningly, yet forcibly wrested by secret
steps, and lesse sencible degrees, from their known rule and wonted
practise, and comply with the humours of those men, who ayme to
subdue all to their own will and power, under the disguises of Holy
Combinations.
Which cords and wythes will hold mens Consciences no longer, then
force attends and twists them: for every man soon grows his own Pope,
and easily absolves himself of those ties, which, not the commands of
Gods Word, or the Laws of the Land, but only the subtilty and terrour
of a Party casts upon him; either superfluous and vain, when they
were sufficiently tied before; or fraudulent and injurious, if by such
afterligaments they find the Imposers really ayming to dissolve, or
suspend their former just and necessary obligations.
Indeed such illegall ways seldom or never intend the engaging men more
to duties, but only to Parties; therefore it is not regarded how they
keep their Covenants in point of piety pretended, provided they adhere
firmly to the Party and Design intended.
I see the Imposers of it are content to make their Covenant like Manna
(not that it came from Heaven, as this did) agreeable to every mans
palate and rellish, who will but swallow it: They admit any mens
senses of it, the divers or contrary; with any salvoes, cautions and
reservations, so as they cross not their chief Design, which is laid
against the Church and me.
It is enough if they get but the reputation of a seeming encrease to
their Party; so little do men remember that God is not mocked.
In such latitudes of sense, _I_ beleive many that love Me, and the
Church well, may have taken the Covenant, who yet are not so fondly
and superstitiously taken by it, as now to act cleerly against both
all piety & loyalty: who first yeelded to it, more to prevent that
imminent violence and ruine, which hung over their heads in case they
wholly refused it, then for any value of it, or devotion to it.
Wherein, the latitude of some generall Clauses may (perhaps) serve
somewhat to relieve them, as of _Doing and endeavouring what lawfully
they may, in their Places and Callings_, and _according to the Word
of God_: for these (indeed) carry no man beyond those bounds of good
Conscience, which are certain & fixed either in Gods Laws, as to the
Generall; or the Laws of the State and Kingdom, as to the particular
regulation and exercise of mens duties.
I would to God such as glory most in the name of _Covenanters_, would
keep themselves within those lawfull bounds, to which God hath called
them: surely it were the best way to expiate the rashnesse of taking
it; which must needs then appear, when besides the want of a full and
lawfull Authority at first to enjoyn it, it shall actually be carried
on beyond and against those ends which were in it specified and
pretended. I willingly forgive such mens taking the Covenant, who keep
it within such bounds of Piety, Law, and Loyaltie, as can never hurt
either the Church, My self, or the Publick Peace: Against which, no
mans lawfull Calling can engage him.
As for that Reformation of the Church which the Covenant pretends, I
cannot think it just or comely, that by the partiall advice of a
few Divines, (of so soft and servile tempers, as disposed them to so
sudden acting and compliance, contrary to their former judgements,
profession, and practise) such foule scandalls and suspitions should
be cast upon the Doctrine and Government of the Church of _England_,
as was never done (that I have heard) by any that deserved the name of
_Reformed Churches_ abroad, nor by any men of learning and candour at
home: all whose judgments _I_ cannot but prefer before any mens now
factiously engaged.
No man can be more forward then My self to carry on all due
Reformations, which mature judgment, and a good Conscience, in what
things I shall (after impartiall advise) be, by Gods Word, and right
reason, convinced to be amiss, I have offered more than ever the
fullest, freest, and wisest Parliaments did desire.
But the sequele of some mens actions makes it evident, that the maine
information intended, is the abasing of Episcopacy into Presbytery,
and the robbing of the Church of its Lands and Revenues: For, no men
have been more injuriously used, as to their legall Rights then
the Bishops, and Church-men. These, as the fattest Dear, must be
destroyed; the other Rascal herd of Schismes, Heresies, &c. being
leane, may enjoy the benefit of a Toleration: Thus _Naboth_'s
Vine-yard made him the onely Blasphemer of his City, and fit to die.
Still I see: while the breath of Religion fills the Sailes, Profit
is the compasse, by which Factious men steer their course in all
seditious Commotions.
I thank God, as no man lay more open to the sacrilegious temptation of
usurping the Churches Lands, and Revenues, (which issuing chiefly from
the Crown, are held of it, and legally can revert onely to the Crowne
with my Consent) so I have alwayes had such a perfect abhorrence of
it in my Soule, that I never found the least inclination to such
sacrilegious Reformings: yet no man hath a greater desire to have
Bishops and all Church-men, so reformed, that they may best deserve
and use, not onely what the pious munificence of My Predecessours
hath given to God and the Church, but all other additions of Christian
bounty.