Eikon Basilike Part 23

For the censures of the world; I know the sharp and necessarie tyrannie of My Destroyers will sufficiently confute the calumnies of tyrannie against Me; I am perswaded I am happie in the judicious love of the ablest and best of My Subjects, who do not only Pitie and Pray for Me, but would be content even to die with Me, or for Me.

These know how to excuse My failings, as a man, and yet to retain and pay their dutie to Me, as their King; there being no religious necessitie binding any Subjects by pretending to punish, infinitely to exceed the faults and errors of their Princes, especially there, where more then sufficient satisfaction hath been made to the Publick; the enjoyment of which, private ambitions have hitherto frustrated.

Others, I beleeve, of softer tempers, and less advantaged by My ruine, do alreadie feel sharp convictions, and some remorse in their Consciences: where they cannot but see the proportions of their evil dealings against Me in the measure of G.o.ds retaliations upon them, who cannot hope long to enjoy their own thumbs and toes, having under pretence of paring others nails bin so cruel as to cut off their cheifest strength.

The punishment of the more insolent and obstinate, may be like that of _Korah_ and his complices (at once mutining against both Prince and Priest) in such a method of divine justice, as is not ordinary, the earth of the lowest and meanest people opening upon them, and swallowing them up in a just disdain of their ill-gotten, and worse used Authority: upon whose support and strength they chiefly depended for their building and establis.h.i.+ng their designes against Me, the Church and State.

My chiefest comfort in death consists in my peace, which I trust, is made with G.o.d; before whose exact Tribunall I shall not fear to appear, as to the Cause so long disputed by the Sword, between me and my causelese Enemies, where I doubt not but his righteous Judgment will confute their fallacy, who from worldly success (rather like Sophisters, then sound Christians) draw those popular conclusions for G.o.ds approbation of their actions; whose wise providence (we know) oft permits many events which his revealed word (the only clear, safe, and fixed rule of good actions and good consciences) in no sort approves.

I am confident, the justice of my Cause, and clearness of my Conscience before G.o.d, and toward my people, wil carry me as much above them in G.o.ds decision, as their Successes have lifted them above me in the Vulgar opinion: who consider not, that many times those undertakings of men are lifted up to heaven in the prosperity and applause of the world, whose rise is from h.e.l.l, as to the injuriousness and oppression of the design. The prosperous winds which oft fil the sails of Pirats, doth not justifie their piracy and rapine.

I look upon it with infinite more content and quiet of Soul, to have been worsted in my enforced contestation for, and vindication of the Laws of the Land, the Freedom and Honour of Parliaments, the Rights of my Crown, the just Liberty of my Subjects, and the true Christian Religion in its Doctrine, Government, and due Encouragements, then if I had, with the greatest advantages of success over-born them all; as some men have now evidently done, whatever designes they at first pretended.

The prayers and patience of my Friends and loving Subjects will contribute much to the sweetning of this bitter cup, which I doubt not but I shall more cheerfully take and drink, as from G.o.ds hand (if it must be so) then they can give it to me, whose hands are unjustly and barbarously lifted up against Me.

And as to the last event, I may seem to owe more to my Enemies then my Friends; while those will put a period to the sins and sorrows attending this miserable life, wherewith these desire, I might still contend.

I shall be more then Conquerour through, Christ enabling me: for whom _I_ have hitherto suffered, as he is the Author of Truth, Order, and Peace; for all which _I_ have been forced to contend against Errour, Faction, and confusion.

If _I_ must suffer a violent death with my Saviour; it is but mortality crowned with martyrdom: where the debt of death, which I owe for sin to nature, shall be raised as a gift of faith and patience offered to G.o.d.

Which _I_ humbly beseech him mercifully to accept; and although death be the wages of my own sinne, as from G.o.d, and the effect of others sinnes, as men, both against G.o.d and me; yet as _I_ hope my own sinnes are so remitted, that they shall be no ingredients to imbitter the cup of my death, so _I_ desire G.o.d to pardon their sins, who are most guilty of my destruction.

The Trophees of my charitie will be more glorious and durable over them, then their ill managed victories over me.

Though their sin be prosperous, yet they had need to be penitent, that they may be pardoned: Both which, _I_ pray G.o.d they may obtain: that my temporal Death unjustly inflicted by them, may not be revenged by G.o.ds just inflicting eternal death upon them: for _I_ look upon the temporall destruction of the greatest King, as far lesse deprecable then the eternall d.a.m.nation of the meanest Subject.

Nor do I wish other then the safe bringing of the s.h.i.+p to sh.o.r.e, when they have cast me overboard; though it be very strange, that Mariners can finde no other means to appease the storms themselves have raised, but by drowning their Pilot.

I thank G.o.d, my Enemies cruelty cannot prevent my preparation; whose malice in this I shall defeat, that they shall not have the satisfaction to have destroyed my Soul with my Body; of whose salvation, while some of them have themselves seemed, and taught others to despair, they have onely discovered this, that they do not much desire it.

Whose uncharitable and cruell Restraints, denying me even the a.s.sistance of any of my Chaplains, hath rather enlarged, then any way obstructed my accesse to the Throne of Heaven,

_Where thou dwellest, O King of Kings, who fillest Heaven and Earth, who art the fountain of eternal life, in whom is no shadow of death._

_Thou, O G.o.d, art both the just Afflicter of death upon us, and the mercifull Saviour of us in it, and from it._

_Yea, it is better for us to be dead to our selves, and live in thee; then by living in our selves, to be deprived of thee._

_O make the many bitter aggravations of my death as a Man, and a King, the opportunities and advantages of thy speciall Graces and Comforts in my Soul as a Christian._

_If thou Lord wilt be with me, I shall neither fear nor feel any evill, though I walk thorow the valley of the shadow of death._

_To contend with death is the work of a weak and mortall man; to overcome it, is the grace of thee alone, who art the Almighty and immortall G.o.d._

_O my Saviour, who knowest what it is to die with me as a Man; make me know what it is to pa.s.se through death to life with thee my G.o.d._

_Though I die, yet I know that thou my Redeemer livest for ever: though thou slayest Me, yet thou hast encouraged me to trust in thee for eternal life._

_O withdraw not thy favour from me, which is better then life._

_O be not far from me, for I know not now neer a violent and cruel death is to me._

_As thy Omniscience, O G.o.d, discovers, so thy Omnipotence can defeat the designes of those who have, or shall conspire my destruction._

_O shew me the goodnesse of thy will, through the wickednesse of theirs._

_Thou givest me leave as a man to pray, that this cup may pa.s.s from me; but thou hast taught Me as a Christian by the example of Christ to add not my will, but thine be done._

_Yea Lord, let our wils be one, by wholly resolving mine into thine: let not the desire of life in me be so great, as that of doing or suffering thy wil in either life or death._

_As I believe thou hast forgiven all the errours of my life, so I hope thou wilt save me from the terrors of my death._

_Make me content to leave the worlds nothing, that I may come really to enjoy all in thee, who hast made Christ unto me in life, gain; and in death advantage._

_Though my destroyers forget their dutie to thee and me, yet do not thou, O Lord, forget to be mercifull to them._

_For, what profit is there in my bloud, or in their gaining my Kingdoms, if they lose their own Souls?_

_Such as have not onely resisted my just Power, but wholly usurped and turned it against my self, though they may deserve, yet let them not receive to themselves d.a.m.nation._

_Thou madest thy Son a Saviour to many that crucified him, while at once he suffered violently by them, and yet willingly for them._

_O let the voice of his bloud be heard for my Murtherers, louder then the cry of mine against them._

_Prepare them for thy mercy by due convictions of their sin, and let them not at once deceive and d.a.m.ne their own souls by fallacious pretensions of Justice in destroying me, while the conscience of their unjust usurpation of power against me, chiefly tempts them to use all extremities against me._

_O Lord, thou knowest I have found their mercies to me as very false, so very cruell, who pretending to preserve me, have meditated nothing but my ruine._

_O deal not with them as bloud thirsty and deceitfull men; but overcome their cruelty with thy compa.s.sion and my charitie._

_And when thou makest inquisition for my blood, O sprinkle their polluted, yet penitent Souls with the bloud of thy Son, that thy destroying Angel may pa.s.se over them._

_Though they think my Kingdoms on earth too little to entertain at once both them and me; yet let the capacious Kingdom of thy infinite mercy at last receive both me and my enemies._

_When being reconciled to thee in the bloud of the same Redeemer, wee shall live far above these ambitious desires, which beget such mortall enmities._

_When their hands shall be heaviest and cruellest upon me, O let me fall into the arms of thy tender and eternall mercies._

_That what is cut off of my life in this miserable moment, may be repaied in thy ever blessed Eternity._

_Lord, let thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation._

Vota dabunt, quae Bella negarunt.