Eikon Basilike Part 9

But we must leave the successe of all to G.o.d, who hath many wayes (having first taken us off from the folly of our opinions, and fury of our pa.s.sion) to teach us those rules of true Reason, and peaceable Wisdom, which is from above, tending most to G.o.ds 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, & fas.h.i.+oned 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 p.r.o.ne 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 grat.i.tude to me: then I wondred how those here, could so much distrust G.o.ds a.s.sistance, who so much pretended G.o.ds 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 G.o.d, 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 a.s.sistance; 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 a.s.sistance: 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 G.o.ds justice, & mans folly will at length be discovered, through all the filmes and pretentions of Religion, in which Polit.i.tians 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 G.o.d.

_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 G.o.d, 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 G.o.d, 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 p.a.w.ned 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 pa.s.sages 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 G.o.dly 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, d.a.m.nable; 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 G.o.d 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 G.o.ds 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 G.o.d and me.

Yet as things now stand, good men shall least offend G.o.d 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 t.i.tle of the Covenant: unlesse they dare preferre ambiguous, dangerous and un-authorized novelties, before their known and sworn duties, which are indespensable, both to G.o.d and my self.

I am p.r.o.ne 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 Polit.i.tians 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 G.o.ds 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 G.o.d is not mocked.

In such lat.i.tudes of sense, _I_ beleive many that love Me, and the Church well, may have taken the Covenant, who yet are not so fondly and superst.i.tiously 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 lat.i.tude 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 G.o.d_: for these (indeed) carry no man beyond those bounds of good Conscience, which are certain & fixed either in G.o.ds 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 G.o.d such as glory most in the name of _Covenanters_, would keep themselves within those lawfull bounds, to which G.o.d 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 G.o.ds 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 compa.s.se, by which Factious men steer their course in all seditious Commotions.

I thank G.o.d, 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 G.o.d and the Church, but all other additions of Christian bounty.

But no necessity shall ever, I hope, drive me or Mine to invade or sell the Priests Lands, which both _Pharaoh's_ divinity, and _Joseph's_ true piety abhorred to do: So unjust I think it both in the eye of Reason and Religion, to deprive the most sacred employment of all due incouragements; and like that other hard-hearted _Pharaoh_, to withdraw the Straw, and encrease the Task; so pursuing the oppressed Church as some have done, to the red Sea of a Civill War, where nothing but a miracle can save either it, or him, who esteems it his greatest t.i.tle to be called, and his chiefest glory to be _The defender of the Church, both in its true faith, and its just fruitions; equally abhoring Sacriledge and Apostacy_.

I had rather live as my Predecessour _Henry_ the 3. sometime did, on the Churches alms, then violently to take the bread out of Bishops and Ministers mouths.

The next work will be _Jeroboam's_ reformation, consecrating the meanest of the people to be Priests in _Israel_, to serve those Golden _Calves_ who have enrich'd themselves with the Churches Patrimony and Dowry; which how it thrived both with Prince, Priests and people, is well enough known: And so it will be here, when from the tuition of Kings and Queens, which have been nursing fathers and mothers of this Church, it will be at their allowance, who have already discovered, what hard fathers and step-mothers they will be.

If the poverty of _Scotland_ might, yet the plenty of _England_ cannot excuse the envy and rapine of the Churches Rights and Revenues.