VVHen the Prophet wept before Hazaell, Hazaell asked him, Why weepeth my Lord? The Prophet replyed, Because of all the evill w [...]ich thou shalt doe to Israel; their strong holds shalt thou set on fire, their young men shalt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their chil­dren, and rip up their women with child: Hazaell in hor­ror of those bloudy facts, asked if he were a dog that he should doe these great things.

At the beginning of these times, if any man should have told us, that our Kingdome should under pretence of fight­ing against the Kings evill Counsellors, have fought against His Majesties sacred Person; That we should have murdered up His Nobilitie, Gentry, and Loyall people of both King­domes; That we should cause an alteration in Religion, and change of State in England; That we should usher in all the Doctrines (or rather Blasphemies) of Heresies, and Rebel­lions; That we should (contrary to the trust reposed in us by His Majesty) sell His Majesty as Judas sold our Saviour, whereby His Majesty should be used with that Barbarisme which surpasseth all Histories for the time past, and will ex­ceed all beliefe for the time to come: Would not we with indignation aske if we were dogs that we should doe such things? But turne you and I will shew you yet greater abo­minations than these: Wee (miserable and wretched wee) have delivered a most good and gracious King, our owne Soveraigne, Countryman, a Protestant Prince, the wisest of [Page 2] men, the best of Princes, into the hands of most bloudy, cru­ell, and deceitfull men, who have committed such horrid impiety in the assasinating of their most gracious Soveraign, that whosoever heares thereof it cannot but make both his eares to tingle, his heart to faint, his knees to tremble, and all good men (who thereby consider the wrath of God upon this Nation) to be as leaves shaken with the wind; That turns our Harp into mourning, & our Organ into the voice of those that weep. Never, oh never, had Jerusalem such cause to lament the death of her good Josiah; Never, oh never, had the daughters of Jerusalem such cause to mourne for Saul who clothed them in purple, as we have to lament the sad and dismall Fate of our late most gracious Soveraigne Lord the King, who is fallen before them as a man falleth before wicked men; as Ishbosheth was murdered by Banach and Re­chab, where wicked men slew a righteous person in his own house. Alas, alas, blessed and happy had we been, if at the first kindling of these enraged fires, we had perished in the flames thereof. It is in vaine for us to palliate our sinnes, and with Solomons whore to wipe our mouths, and to say we had done none evill. What soule is not agonized when we con­sider that we have not only besprinkled, but embrued our hands in so foule a sinne? It was ever our glory, that so great and gracious a Prince first drew his breath in our Na­tion: But it is now our shame and sorrow that we should put a sword into the hands of his Enemies, to deprive him of that Life which he received in our Kingdome.

It was we, that first rose up in tumults against His sacred Majesty, when he did but tender to us an unity of discipline with the English: out of which love of Unity, the malice of the Devill (who alwayes drawes evill out of good) hath procured these great differences and distractions. It was we, that when by the mediation of the English Lords Articles of Pacification were agreed on between His Majesty and us (contrary to those Articles) refused to disband. It was we that seconded our disobedience, by refusing to attend His Majesty, when he commanded to know the reason of our [Page 3] not disbanding. It was we that in a tumultuous and disloyall way made Covenants to oppose the King, and countenan­ced that Empostresse Maiden, who (pretending to Enthusi­asmes) perswaded the People to Rebellion, and (in reference to our Covenant) blasphemed Christ by the name of cove­nanting Jesus. It was we that came to the King in Mili­tary Minaces with our swords in one hand, and a Petition (sharper than our swords) in the other, to force His Majesties complyance with those who he knew sought his Life and Crowne. It was we that had three hundred thousand pounds, and were courted by the name of Deare Brethren, to over­awe the English in their owne Kingdome into Rebellion against His Majesty: As if the English poyson had not strength enough to envenome the Nation, unlesse it were wrought up to the height by our ingredients. It was we, that when Loyalty had gotten the upper hand in England, and had given a deadly wound to the beast, healed that dead­ly wound againe, and (having like the Dragon in the Apo­calypse) given our power to the beast, have caused him to be worshipped, to blaspheme, and to make warre upon the Saints. It was we, that when His Majesty fled to us for re­liefe, (contrary to the Lawes of humanity, of Nations, of duty, and of our faithfull promises) delivered him up, thereby exposing him, and the three Kingdomes to these most ex­ecrable miseries. Good God, what advocate shall we have to plead for us at the Barre of Gods Judgement, when he shall call our Nation to an account for these things? when inquisition is made for bloud, and the cry of the soules under the Altar shall obtaine their desired vengeance upon us, I feare we shall be reckoned amongst those at whose hands, not only the bloud of all our owne former Kings murdered by us, but all the righteous bloud shed from Abel to Zacha­rias the sonne of Barachias, who was slain between the Temple and the Altar; And from Zacharias to our righteous King Charles (who likewise may be said to be slain between the Temple and the Altar, for that he died for the mainte­nance of Gods Church, and the truth of his Religion) shall [Page 4] be required. Alas, alas, how is now that (sometime) sacred name of Religion blasphemed, our Nationall honour tain­ted, our Lawes violated, our Nobles murdred, our People enslaved, and our whole Nation exposed to the wrath of Heaven, to the scorne of men, and to the horrour of tor­menting consciences? How doth every pious breast shrink, and every loyall soule thrill at the horrour of that fatall blow, which at one stroake murdred not only our Rome (as Cal gula would have had it) but three Kings in one, the best of men, and three Kingdomes, the most flourishing of all people, and in them the most Royall bloud of Imperiall Ma­jesty, the purest of all Religions, the justest of all Lawes, the wisest constitution of all Governments, and (had we knowne our owne happinesse) the happiest of all people? What tongue of men or Angels can sufficiently expresse the detestation of that bloudy fact, that separated the best of heads from so lovely a body? The best of Kings from his most Loyall subjects? The best of Husbands from a most affectionate Wife? The best of Fathers from most sweet and dutifull Children? and the best of Masters from so ma­ny obedient, and (sometimes) most happy servants? In a word, the horridnesse of that transcendent impiety was such, that (next to the murdering of our most blessed Saviour) it was the most accursed act that ever yet was perpetrated upon the face of the earth. Summon up all the Treasons that have been perpetrated since the worlds Creation, ex­tract the poyson thereof into one fiery flying serpent, yet will that venome be but a lenitive in comparison of this. Tell us no more of Korah, Dathan and Abirams Rebellion, as it was young in age (being at the first rising of the Isra­elitish Nation) so it was young in impiety and malice in comparison of this. See how these Rebels in many things run paralell with Korah, and see how in many things they outstrip the paralell. Consider we the Authors of the one Rebelion, and of the other. The Authors of Korahs Rebel­lion were Levites, men honoured by God with the service of the Tabernacl [...], yet not such as had any share in the high [Page 5] Priesthood: And the incendiaries of this Rebellion were in­feriour Ministers, Lecturers, and such as could not attaine to high honour or preferment in the Church. Korah seeks out a discontented Laity, by whose swords they thought to carry on this and his confederate Levites designe, even Da­than and Abiram, and On of the Tribe of Ruben, who (being of the elder Tribe, to whom the Scepter by birthright did of old belong) were discontented that Moses a Levite should governe Israell, and therefore rose up against him, and thought to wring the Scepter out of his hand: as these seditious Lecturers chose the Earle of Essex, Warwicke, and other heads for their Rebellion, who being discontented in Court, might with more plausibilitie be retained the heads of their faction. Againe, Korah and his complices drew to their faction two hundred and fifty men famous in the Con­gregation, men of Renowne: so these men drew to their parties, some of the Nobility, and divers of the Gentry, men of popular spirits, and such as by craft and subtilty had in­sinuated into the affections of the common people. But yet herein these men exceed the paralel; that wheras with Korah were men of renowne 250; the many Commanders among these are Brewers, Dray-men, Tradesmen, men of such in­ferior ranke and condition, that in them is fulfilled one of Solomons vanities, who saw servants ride a horsebacke, and Princes goe on foot: And no doubt but if Korah had pre­vailed, the Elders who stucke to Moses had as well suffered by the insolency and cruelty of those Rebels, as now the No­bility and Gentry of His Majesties three Kingdomes doe by the tyranny of these Usurpers.

Againe, Korahs Rebellion was not against Moses only, or Aaron only, but against Moses and Aaron: As this Rebel­lion was not against the King only, but against King and Bi­shops, who as they were joyned in their Commissions, and power from heaven, so they were in their sufferings by the Devils malice. But here againe they outrun the paralell; for Korah fought only against the persons of Moses and Aaron, and did not seeke the destruction of their functions but these [Page 6] men seeke the extirpation not of Monarchs only, but of Mo­narchy, not of Bishops only, but of Episcopacie it selfe. I hope I shall not offend Divinitie, if I say, that this Monarchie which the Rebels of our times seeke to root out, is farmore excellent than that of Moses. That of Moses was more ex­cellent than that of the Patriarchall founded in Adam, The government of Kings above that of the Judges, and the government of Christian Kings above that of the line of David: For that this Government wherein Kings shall be our nursing Fathers, and Queens our nursing Mothers, is that ultimate end, and that Ocean into which the blessings and promises of the Law and the Prophets doe finally de­termine. For indeed I conceive that the names of Christ and Jesus are deeply mysterious: That Christ signifying Anointed, and Jesus a Saviour, shewes that God will have none to be a Saviour to his people but only him that is anointed by God. Now we never read that Christ was anointed with any materiall oyle, but his Unction was that Kingship and Priesthood which he received from God, to be above his fellowes; That he should be King of Kings, and the chiefe Bishop of soules, and an Highpriest for ever after the order of Melchisedecke, and from whom all King­ship and Priesthood are derived. Now Gods operations tend alwayes to an higher degree of perfection, and there­fore the Kingship and Priesthood under the Gospell, must of necessity be more perfect than the Kingship or Priesthood under the Law, either of Nature or of Mo­ses, and so consequently Rebellion against Kingship or Priesthood under the Gospell is much more odious and abominable than against any other Kingship or Priesthood whatsoever. The Priesthood of Aaron was to be done away, but this of the Apostles is to continue to the worlds end; And the Apostles (from whom the Bi­shops derive their Authoritie) are to sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israell, which is an honour higher than any that is mentioned to be promised to the Priesthood of Aaron. Againe, the Rebellion of Korah was [Page 7] against Moses the meekest man upon earth, and against Aaron the Saint of the Lords; It was against Moses the Lawgiver, and against Moses who delivered them out of Aegypt: so was this sinne of theirs much aggravated, in that it was against Charles, a King of that unparalell'd mildnesse, and sweet temper, that he was the astonishment of all peo­ple in praying for and forgiving his enemies; Against Charles, who was the Defender of the Faith, and now sea­led it with his bloud; and against Charles who gave his life for the freedome of his people, rather than he would submit them to the arbitrary tyranny of an usurping power. But herein they exceed the paralell, in that Korah and his com­plices did not violate any explicite Oathes, either of Moses his Supremacie, or their own Allegiance, as these have done; and not only so, but they have without any Legall Authority forged Protestations, Vowes and Covenants, sol [...]mne Leagues and Covenants, whereby to gull the people into Rebellion; and when they had forced them on mens consci­ences, they did againe force the violation of the same, yea they would have made the King himselfe (if it had been possible) tenfold more the child of Perdition than them­selves, by forcing him to things clearly contrary to his Oaths, Protestations, Declarations, and Conscience; yea, they seeke to brand him with perjury because he would not forsweare himselfe. And certainly, when Zacharias his flying Booke against swearers, (wherein likewise are inclu­ded those that commit or force perjury) shall enter into the houses of these men, and lay open the curses due to them for these sinnes; and when all the perjuries which the Kings subjects have taken, and have been violated by these mens meanes shall be discovered, then will the horror of their consciences tell them what it is, either to commit perjury themselves, or to force it upon others, or to condemne those who conscionably make care of their Oaths.

Then for the manner of Korahs Rebellion, these men run paralell with him in every thing. Korah and his confede­rates charge Moses and Aaron with taking too much upon [Page 8] them, when as indeed they did nothing but by authority and command from God: so these men charge the King and Bishops with usurpation, and extending the line of their Prerogatives (not only in the extravagancies of their Offi­cers, but also) in assuming to themselves, and claiming that just power, Prerogative and Right, wherewith they were invested by the knowne Lawes and constitution of the King­dome.

Againe, they place the supreme power and Authority in the people, and charge Moses with pride in lifting up him­selfe above the Congregation of the Lord: so these men commit all their wickednesse in the name of the People, and of the Commonwealth, in whom they pretend the supreme Power to be. They pretend to holinesse, saying that all the Congregation of the Lord are holy, every one of them: so these men plead to the spirit, and call themselves the Saints, the Godly, the holy Brethren, and that the Spirit hath made them free: And as those men under those pretences of an holy Congregation were proved the wickedst of all people; these men under formalities of Religion are the most abo­minable of all Christians. They pretend through their holi­nes, a power to execute divine functions, as to offer Incense, which belonged only to the Priest: so these men (although they have no calling thereunto) take upon them power to be Teachers, and preach in Buff coats both in Churches and private Conventicles. Also, as those gathered all the Con­gregation together against Moses and Aaron, at the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation: so these men gathered many thousands together, and many Tumults, at the doores of the Parliament, and forged many Petitions in the name of the People, to demand Justice (as they tearmed it) against the King, the Bishops, and the Royall Party. Yea they wil­fully persevere in their obstinacy, for when Mos [...]s (though he were the Party offended) sought by all possible meanes to draw off Dathan and Abiram, they told Moses flatly, that they would not come up to him: so when our good King sought all the wayes he could to take off these men by yeel­ding [Page 9] to their demands, by complying with them, by tendring conditions of Peace, farre beneath the honour of offended Majesty, and farre above their demerit, yet they obstinately refuse to comply with him, and in stead of an humble sub­mission, they refuse to treat with him, and vote Non-ad­dresses to him. Yea, as they accused Moses of malice and treachery, as if he had brought them out of a Land flowing with milk & honey, and had not brought them into the Land of Canaan, and that he went about to put out the eyes of the people, thereby to bring the odium of all Israell upon Moses and Aaron: so have these men sought to make the King and His Government odious to His People, by forging lyes unto them, as if the King intended to rule them by an Arbitrary and Tyrannicall Government, and as if all that the King did or said, were done with no other purpose than to insnare the people, and to bring them to the bent of his own bow. Yea by so much the greater was the sinne of Korah, for that it was done against so many miracles by Moses and Aaron in Aegypt, against so many deliverances out of Aegypt, and through the Red Sea, against so many wonders in the wil­dernesse, and against so many divine revelations, and speciall Providences of God in all places; that as the sinne was extraordinary, so it brought an extraordinary judgement upon them: yet (under favour) I doe conceive that this Re­bellion against our late King, and now continued against the Sonne, doth by many degrees exceed the Rebellion of Korah; for that this is a sinne against the Gospell, and therefore by how much the Gospell is more glorious than the Law, by so much are sinnes committed under the Gospell of a more desperate and odious nature, and of a blacker dye than those that were committed under the Law, and that not only in respect of the revealing and exhibiting of Jesus Christ, and his Gospel, which makes the least in the Kingdome of Hea­ven, (i. e. of Grace) greater than John the Baptist (though amongst men that were borne of women there was none greater than he) but also in respect of the many knowne Lawes inhibiting, and judgements visibly punishing of these [Page 10] sinnes, which were not before the promulgation of the Law, and manifestation of the Gospell. Now Korah, Dathan and Abiram knew but the infancy of that Kingdome, but they did not know a Monarchicall right for so many Centuries as we have done, nor had they experimented the horrour of that sinne by Gods judgement upon any preceding Re­bels, as we have done: Therefore I hope I shall not offend charity, if I say, That if they had knowne another Korah and his complices so severely punished as these were, if they had had so many precepts and examples of meeknesse, pa­tience, obedience, and submission to Kings and Magistrates as we have had, and that from the Prophets, from Christ himselfe, from the Apostles and Disciples of Christ, and from the holy Martyrs, and Churches of God, they would never have run into that accursed Rebellion; and therefore in that respect I doe not see but that they (even they) as well as Sodome and Gomorrah against the Jewes, will rise up in judgement and condemne the wicked generation of our times: And so much the rather, for that what Korah did, it was rather in attempt than action; but these men have not only attempted, but acted, and made these three Kingdomes the Stages of deplored misery, and overwhelmed them as well in bloud as teares. I will not deny but that ambition, pride, covetousnesse, treachery, perjury, and sacrilege, might accompanie Korahs Rebellion; but yet (for ought ap­peares in the Scripture) they are nothing sutable to the hor­ridnesse of these, these being raised of purpose to make [...]a­vock of the Churches Lands, and of the Kings Estate, Life, Crowne, Family, and Friends. Hypocrisie wrought high in the Rebellion of Korah, but alas it was but a molehill to this mountaine, a straw to this blocke, a gnat to this Camell. Korah pretended not to doe all for the honour and safety of Moses, and to make him great and glorious, beloved at home, and dreaded abroad amongst the Canaanites with whom he was to fight, as these did to our late King; the De­vils Scholars in Rebellion had not yet taken out that Lesson; That with other heapes of hypocrisie and malice were [Page 11] reserved for the last of times, and to bee practised by the worst of men, when under Formality of Justice, and Pie­ty, and under pretence of authority from the People, they should break all the bonds of Religion, Faith, and Loyaltie; it being well knowne, that the People had no such authority to give them; and if they had had it, yet not one of an hun­dred would have consented to these most accursed actions in murdering of the King, and the Nobles. The House of Peeres unanimously disavowed it, the greater part of the House of Commons protested against it; the Ministers Preacht against it as against the Lawes of God, and abhor­ring from the principles of Religion, and scandalous to Christianity, and in particular to the Protestant Cause; The Judges declared it to bee against the Lawes of the Kingdome; And the whole Votes, and desires of the Peo­ple sought a Pacification by Treaties of Peace with the King, not by an extirpation of the King, and his Royall Issue: And yet a prevailing Party of a few, by the power of the Sword, must palliate all their wickednesse in the name of the People. Thus through their deep hypocrisie, the Name of God, his Spirit, his Word, his Truth, must be blasphemed, to usher in their horrid impieties: The name of the Law, to set up Injustice; The Honour and safety of the King, to murder and root out him, and his Royall Race; The name of Parliaments, to root out the Houses, and the name of the People, to cut off the Peoples head in the mur­dering of their gracious King. But a dissembled Sanctity is a double Iniquity, and Injustice under the formalities of Justice is the greatest Injustice. To speak no more of this most accursed murder of our never sufficiently lamented King, by way of parallell with that of Korahs Rebellion a­gainst Moses; I wish all men whose hands are stained in this bloud, seriously to bethinke themselves, and with trembling to consider, That as they have out-vyed Korah, and his Com­plices in their sinnes, so they will (if they prevent it not by timely repentance) out-suffer them in their punishment. Let them consider, that of all sinnes that can be committed [Page 12] against man, the greatest is murder; of all murders the most odious is the assasinating of Kings; of all Kings the Highest and dearest in Gods favour are Christian Kings, who are Defenders of the Faith, and Propagators of the Gospell; of all Christian Kings Religion and Duty most strictly tye all Subjects to their owne Soveraigne; and of all Kings of this Nation never any attained to that vastnesse of Wise­dome, and Learning, to that innocency of Life, to that Heroick Resolution, and hight of Perfection, as our late most glorious, and renowned Martyr King Charles hath done: And for such a King to be thus murdered, is the a­stonishment of men and Angels. But yet what wonder is it, that the Serpent should bruise the heele of the womans seed, that the Devill should muster up his Forces against one who so seriously sought the ruine of Sathans Kingdome, and the advancement of true Religion? He loved and ho­noured the Apostolicall Function, and the promotion of Gods Ministers in the comforts and encouragements of Learning, and Piety; and therefore it is no marvaile if Sa­crilege and Malice to the Churches glory contributed their strength to his destruction. He loved and promoted the pu­rity of the Gospell in the sincerity of Faith; and therefore it is no marvaile if hypocrisie under the Maske of Religion sought to quench his zeale with his owne bloud. He aimed at Peace, Unity, and Concord in the worship and Service of God; That as all his Subjects were enjoyned to worship the same God, at the same time, and to pray for the same things, so he sought to make them doe it in the same man­ner; it is no marvaile therefore if Schismes, and Divisions sought to unite themselves, by dividing him from his Peo­ple, his soule from his body, and head from his shoulders; yea, (if it had been possible) by dividing him from God himselfe. He endeavoured a perfect Peace and Unity in his owne Kingdomes. That the Parliament might enjoy with­out controll their Knowne and just Privileges, That the People from the highest to the lowest, might enjoy their Freedome, and that Justice might be equally distributed to [Page 13] all as well as to himselfe; it is no marvaile therefore if In­justice, that it might rob God, the King, the People, the Church, and Parliament of all their dues, by setting up a Mock-Parliament, erect a Mock-Court of Justice, and finde out Mocke-Judges, to gull the People with Mocke-Lawes, and in stead of one reall King (the Fountaine of Justice) to set up many Mocke-Kings, the Common-shore of all filthinesse. Hee sought the Peace and Happinesse of His People; and therefore it is no marvaile if Rebellion first kindle Coales of Dissention betweene them, then raise a Warre, and lastly murder him in his Peoples Name.

I dare not be so presumptuous as in any thing to equalize, or compare the Sufferings of my late Soveraigne with those of my Saviour, being (I know) that never sorrow was like unto his sorrow, and that it did infinitely transcend all humane sufferings, not only in merit, but also even in the ex­quisitenesse of his Agonies; Yet (seeing God vouchsafeth us himselfe to be our Coppy, and commands us to be holy as he is holy, and Christ commands us to learne of him) I hope I shall not offend the Truth if I say, That never any Prince did in all the circumstances of his Sufferings, as well as of his Innocency, Faith, Patience, Meeknesse, and Courage, come so neare the sufferings of my Saviour as my Sove­raigne did in his; which hee could never have borne with that Christian Resolution, had not the sufferings of my Saviour had a strong influence upon him to sanctifie his affli­ctions to him.

Was Christ maligned, and envied by the Hypocrites of the times, the proud Scribes and Pharisees, who under pre­tence of long Prayers devowred Widdowes houses; who tithed Mint and Cumin, but neglected Justice, Righteous­nesse, and the weighny matters of the Law; That made cleane the out-side of the cup, when the in-side was full of filthinesse and all uncleannesse; That made broad their Phi­lacteries, and had the Law written in their skerts, when it was farre from their hearts; That loved greetings in the [Page 14] Market-places, and to be called Rabbi, Rabbi, and the up­per seats at Feasts; That pretended to a strict observation of the Sabbath, and reproved even Christ and his Disciples for the violation thereof, whilst in the meane time them­selves wallowed in all sinnes, and opposed the acts of Piety and Charity? King Charles was so when hee was persecu­ted, and murdered by those, who under pretence of long Prayers devoured not onely Widdowes houses, but whole Kingdomes; who seek to take away all Tithes, yea even that of Mint and Cumin, and utterly to extirpate all the inheri­tance of the Church; That under a formall gravity, and starcht look, and under pretended holinesse, and justice, root out Religion and the Lawes, and under a zealous reforming of the Sabbath, have taken away the worship of God; who have justled the King out of his Seat of Imperiall Majesty, that they may be saluted the onely Rabbies of the world.

Was Christ betrayed of his owne servants, and forsaken of his friends, his Apostles, Disciples, and denyed of him who pretended most zeal and Loyalty to him? King Charles was so, when he had his Forts, Castles, and Townes delive­red up by Treachery, and when he was forsaken of his Sub­jects, Servants, and Officers.

Was Christ delivered up of his owne Countrey-men to be murdered by the Judges of another Nation? King Charles was so, when we delivered him to the Commissioners of the English Parliament, who kept him a Prisoner at Holdenby, till he was carryed away from thence by the Souldiers, and posted from place to place, and at last murdered by his en [...] ­mies.

Was Christ mocked with a Purple Robe? King Charles was so, when they sent him a rich Gowne rather to abuse than cloath him; that his Wardrobe might be made the ri­cher for themselves.

Was Barrabas (a seditious Murderer) preferred before Christ, and did they perswade the multitude to destroy Jesus? It was so with King Charles, before whom they [Page 15] did preferre his most murderous, and seditious Rebells, and against whom in a tumultuous manner they cryed out to destroy him, under the name of Justice.

Did they renounce Christ to be their King and lay his claime to the Kingship as a Crime unto him? and did they pick quarrells with him about the building of the Temple? It was so with King Charles, whom they renounce to bee their King, and against whom they take occasion of offence for his love that hee bare to the Temple, and Church of God. Of Christ it was said, This is the stone which the buil­ders refused: and of King Charles it was said, We will not have this man to reigne over us.

Were Herod and Pilate at bitter enmity between them­selves, yet united in friendship against Christ? It was so with King Charles; The Presbyterians and Independents were at great variance amongst themselves, yet both com­plyed against King Charles. Herod mocked him, the Soul­diers set him at nought, but Pilate Crucified him: The Presbyterians jeared the King by their scoffing Treaties, and Propositions; the Souldiers vilified him, but the Inde­pendants murdered him: The Presbyterians brought him to the blocke, the Souldiers held him by the haire, and the Independents cut off his head.

Did the Souldiers part Christs Garments amongst them, and cast lots upon his Vesture? It was so with King Char [...]es when they spoiled his Wardrobe, and disposed of the Court Robes [...] a prey to the Souldiers.

I could instance how a Souldier spet upon the face of my Soveraigne, as they had done upon the face of my Saviour, their ulcerous Lungs vomiting out those filthy Excrements, s [...]ew more ulcerous souls, & more nauseous foam than that of Cerberus; How the Generalls wife sought to draw off her Husband from having an hand in the death of King Charles, as Pilates Wife sent to him to have nothing to doe with that just man; How King Charles did good before his death even to his enemies, as Christ cured Malchus his care, when he was sent by the High Priest to fetch him to [Page 16] his death; and how they blasphemed Christ for casting out Devills, as these accused King Charles for curing the Kings Evill; And lastly, that what was done to Christ, was done for the fulfilling of many Prophesies, which foretold of his Sufferings, And certainly there were many Predicti­ons of these times; To let passe Lillyes, and all other A­strologicall Predictions, as being actuated rather by the spirit of Rebellion and of Error, than of Truth, I shall only instance in that Propheticall Prediction of Master Nostra­damus, who was Physitian to Charles the ninth, and in a Book Printed at Lyons 1568, speaking what should happen in the ensuing Centuries, and in particular in the yeare 1649. saith expressely, Senete de Londres mittrout al mort Cour Roy. Many other Predictions there were both in English, Welsh, Latine, and other Tongues, hinting upon these times, but by what Spirit they were inspired, I leave it to others to determine: Onely I may safely say, That where God Almighty doth intend strange and unheard of alterations either in States or Kingdoms, he frequently sends such Predictions as the Warning-Pieces of his Judgements. Though we are bound from expecting them, yet God is not tyed from either Miracles, or Propheticall Revelations, which are sometimes manifested to private Persons, many times to Kingdomes and publick Officers of State, and sh [...]ll after a most speciall manner precede the generall day of Judgement, when time shall be no more. Neither will I deny, but that God might reveale his secret mysteries here­in to the Devill himselfe, and to some wicked men, as hee did the destruction of Saul, and of Ahab, to the Devill, and the happinesse of Israel to Balaam, because God doth im­ploy them as the Instruments of his fierce wrath and indig­nation upon those whom he meanes to punish: And there­fore as there were many Predictions as well from wicked men and women, as from the Saints and Prophets of God, concerning our blessed Saviour, yet all had their originall, and fountain [...] from the God of Truth; So God might reveale both to the just and unjust these strange mysteries of his in­tentions [Page 17] towards the English in these times, of purpose to make his Anointed more in resemblance to his owne Sonne, than he had done any other King.

But the glory of King Charles his Suffering, was in the imitating of Christ by the lustre of his Vertues. Christ when he was reviled, reviled not again, but was as a Sheep dumbe before the Sheerer, so hee opened not his mouth: Such mildnesse, meeknesse, and gentlenesse did King Charles use, not retorting upon them their pride, malice, and rebel­lion, as he justly might have done.

Christ prayed for his enemies; Father forgive them, for they know not what they doe: So did King Charles, from his soule forgiving them, and praying for their repentance, and pardon; yea charging his Sonne, the now King, that if hee came in to succeed him in his Throne, He should not seeke revenge upon those that took away his life; as if (in spight of hell) he would outstrip their most horrid cruelties by the splendor of his goodnesse; And that the world might see, That when wickednesse was at the height, yet it could not be so wicked as he was good; shewing himselfe a King in his Royall Fortitude, a Man in his Humanity and Sweet­nesse, and a Christian in praying for his Enemies.

Christ dyed for the good of his People, to deliver them from the bondage of Hell: And King Charles dyed because he would not deliver up his People to the insolent tyranny of prevailing Rebells.

Christs enemies persecuted him even after his Death, in his Name and Honour, in calling him a Deceiver; In his Gospel, by seeking to suppresse that; and in his Followers, and Friends, by persecuting them: It is so with King Charles, re-iterating and lading him with scandalls and aspersions, never regarding how they have beene often, and fully an­swered by himselfe and his friends, denying that Booke to be his which vindicates his Honour, and presents his Royall Image; So that they seek to bring Bastardy upon the issue of his Braines, as well as they sought to [...] upon him­selfe and his Royall Issue, thereby to root o [...] Tam libros, [Page 18] quam liberos; And lastly, they seek by un-Kinging him, to un-Peere his Nobles, embase his Gentry, and root out, and persecute all those that are Royally affected.

There have beene many Martyrs, but no Martyr-Kings that I know of but my blessed Saviour Christ Jesus, and my late gracious Soveraigne Lord King Charles: And I doubt not but that as he hath had the Honour to be most like my Saviour in his sufferings, so he is now in the transcendency of his most glorious reward. Many Kings like the Birds of the Aire take care to feather their Nests, and to eternize their name with honour, and wealth: But this good King Charles (by the principles of Divinity, knowing the vanity of earthly Honours, like the Phoenix) took care to per­fume his Nest with a bed of Spices; and soaring aloft with the wings of Contemplation in the fiery zeale of heavenly Devotion, he offered himselfe a Sacrifice thereupon for the good of his people, for the honour of his God, for the pro­sperity of the Church, and for the defence of the true, anci­ent, Catholick, and Apostolick Faith. Yea, his death was such, that like the death of Sampson he gave his enemies a more deadly blow thereby, than hee had done in all his life before: Yea, even the succeeding generations of those who have now murdered him, wil as the children of the Jews did to the Prophets whom their Fathers slew, build Monuments for him, and say, that if they had lived in his dayes, they would nor have had a hand in the murdering of so glorious a Saint. Have you not heard of the patience of Job? Yea, we have, he was the glory of the Gentiles, most eminent for Piety and Patience, before or neare the time of the pro­mulgation of the Law; We have heard likewise of Moses, the meekest man upon earth; and of David, a man after Gods owne heart, and a type of Christ, as well for his pati­ent abiding as his suffering: But me thinks I see my late So­veraigne studying which way the Transcript should exceed the Coppy, and endeavouring to out-strip the Patience of Job, Moses [...]d David, as farre as the glory of the Gospell doth exceed the times either of the Law under the Jewes, [Page 19] or of Nature under the Gentiles. No actions could satisfie the Contemplation of his Royall spirit, but onely his whose Vice-gerent he was: all others were of too low a size for the acquienscie of his imitation. Me thinks I see my bles­sed Saviour holding out the patterne of this King to all Po­sterity, to shew the world, that he can worke miracles even in these dayes of Infidelity; and that he hath his Davids, his Moseses, and his Jobs even now, and that amongst Kings, and Princes, in whose Courts (let malice looke never so blacke with slander and envy) there are often found those that are cloathed with meeknesse, and all vertues, as well as with soft Raiment.

And yet we see Innocency is not Malice-proofe, for all this goodnesse, this holy, this blessed Martyr-King, the breath of our Nostrills, the Anointed of the Lord, was ta­ken in their Pits, of whom we said, under his shadow wee shall live among the Heathen. By this meanes the joy of our heart is ceased, our daunce is turned into mourning the Crowne is fallen from our head: Woe unto us that wee have sinned; certainly God tooke away our King in greater wrath than ever he gave Saul to Israel. But tell me then, O yee heavens, and yee Starres that fought against Sisera in your Courses, Why did yee not blast the designe of these wicked men? Why, seeing the deeps of Hell were broken, and over-flowed the earth, did it not raine downe fire and brimstone from Heaven upon these men, that they might be as notorious for their Judgement, as they are infamous for their sinnes? Why did not God rain downe Hell from Heaven, and patter them with great Haile-stones, as hee did the Kings that combined against Joshuah? Why did not the earth open her mouth, and swallow up the Dathans of the times? What? is God more remisse in his judgements? or is he now a reconciled friend to those that are the ene­mies of his Lawes? Doth hee now contemne his owne Ordinances, and slight those that beare the Image of his Majesty? God forbid! Shall not the Judge of all the earth doe right? Is not God yesterday, to day, and the same for [Page 20] ever? Yes surely: But me thinks I see all the Creatures of Heaven and Earth marshalling themselves to a just revenge; but withall I heare the Divine Providence commanding the Creatures, that they should not hinder the carreere of these mens impieties; That their wickednesse, and the peoples follie in being seduced by them, together with the Kings glorious vertues, might bee made knowne to the World; That they who had abused, and slighted the Soveraigne Ma­jesty of a King, might know by wanting his protection, what it is to provoke the offended Majesty of Heaven. And al­though judgement bee not speedily executed upon these men, yet a Reprieve is no pardon. More happy was Korah, Dathan, and Abiram in the fire from heaven, and the earths swallowing them up, whereby they could not (like these men) ripen the accursednesse of that Rebellion to a desired maturity, than these men are in their glorious suc­cesses: For maturity and fulnesse in wickednesse, brings a maturity and fulnesse of judgement. Time was when Ba­bylon said, I sit a Queene, and am no Widdow, and shall see no sorrow, (as these men boast that God hath given testimo­ny to their Cause by their successe) But time was againe, when (notwithstanding her great security) a voice from Heaven was said to cry, That her sinnes have reached up to Heaven, and God hath rendred her iniquities: reward her e­ven as she hath rewarded you, and double unto her double ac­cording to her workes: in the cup that she hath filled, fill to her double: how she hath glorified her selfe, and lived delici­ously, so much torment and sorrow give her. It is the sad­dest of all judgements when prosperity in sinne is the pre­cipice of our ruine; When the Amorites shall not be puni­shed, because the wickednesse of the Amorites is not yet full, When the warmth of the Sunne, and dewes of Hea­ven ripen the Apples of Sodome to the destruction of the tree whereon they grow, great is the fall of that tree, when once it is hewen downe and cast into the fire. Certainly our great prosperity in our sinne may make us justly to feare, That as we have committed such a Rebellion, that wee [Page 21] may say of it as of the Locusts of Egypt, before then were none such as they, nor after them shall be such; So God likewise will suite the judgement to the sinne, and make that as strange and dreadfull as our sinne was horrid. I will not take upon me to divine what this judgement shall be, onely I wish all men by the bignesse of the shadow to judge of the proportion of the body, and by the horridnesse of the sinne in murdering so gracious a King, to feare the suitablenesse of a most horrid judgement. And the hor­ridnesse of this sinne is seen by the goodnesse and inoceney of our murdered Josiah, like unto whom there was none before him, that turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his soule, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses, neither after him shall be any like him. The transcendency of the sinne in murdering so tran­scendent a King, requires a transcendency of judgement. Let us not deceive our selves, our Walls may bee Cannon-proofe, Vengeance-proofe I am sure they cannot be; whilst sinne lies centred in the actions, the circumference of Hea­ven will finde a Line leading judgement to this center. Gods judgements can ambuscado our valour, and when wee thinke our enemies are flying before us, wee may see our Cities on fire behinde our backs. It is true that wee are strong and stout in the courage of our horse; but our horse are flesh and not spirits; Though we pretend to the Spirit for our selves, we cannot doe so for our horses too. O there­fore let all righteous soules depart from the Tents of these wicked men, lest they perish in their cry. O our too too sad experience hath taught us, That Instruments of cruelty are in their habitations; O my soule come not thou into their secret, unto their assembly mine honour be not thou united: For in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfe-will they digged downe a Wall: Cursed bee their anger for it was fierce, and their wrath for it was cruel. What? can we thinke that all the Christian World will be lethargized, and so unnaturallized in their affections as tamely to suffer the murdering and extirpation of their own Royall bloud with­out [Page 22] controll? what though for a while the bones that we have thrown in amongst them take up their whole imploy­ment, so that they have no leisure to looke this wayes, yet a time may come, when that may be verified in the Sonne, which we rather in jeast than in earnest objected against the Father, and the pretended feares of forraigne Invasions may prove most true to our utter ruine? we as it were de­rided the judgements of God by pretended feares in the be­ginning of our Rebellion against the Father; And Gods judgements may deride us, and laugh at us when our de­struction commeth, by our reall feares in the end of our Re­bellion against the Sonne. Wee have entituled God to our Cause by reason of our successes in it, and God may confute this Argument by rooting out this Cause together with our selves. What will our woodden walls prevaile, when wee have a raging Sea of wickednesse within our selves, foam­ing up nothing but mire and dirt? It is true, that we have taken the great Lion of the Forrest in our Net, but yet the young Lion is escaped, and our Consciences cannot but tell us, that we deserve to bee torne in pieces by him, through the revenge of offended Majesty, and that (in respect abu­sed patience turnes to fury) out of the Serpents root should come forth a Cockatrice. There is yet some hope that by a sweet and timely compliance with his Majesty, our Kingdome may be lookt upon with the eye of Commisera­tion: But if we harden our hearts, (as Pharoah, and those accursed miscreants, who murdered his Father, did) what can wee expect but more miracles of Plagues to bee wrought upon us than was upon Egypt, and in the end an utter over-whelming in the red Sea of our owne bloud?

It pities me to thinke how all sorts of people have pa­ved a cawsey to their owne destruction, and how vengeance with an hot sent pursues them in the same steps which they themselves have trodden. Nay, so great are the sinnes of us all, that it were a sinne for us to pray for any other blessings, with greater zeale than for repentance, all other blessings [Page 23] without that, by how much the greater they were, would bring by so much the greater curses, and heighten the great­nesse of our ruine.

It pities me for that great, and sometimes glorious, but now most bloudy City; It was once (like Jerusalem) a City at unity within it selfe, and righteousnesse lodged in it: But the Manasses of the time have (like Jerusalem) filled it with bloud from one end to the other. It now (like Jerusalem) hath justified her sisters, Sod [...]me and Samaria. Base miscre­ants, that dare act any thing that is wicked, or be any thing but what is Loyall, Were not all your former wickednesses sufficient to your condemnation, but must you adde this above all, to harbour and countenance the Locusts of the Times for the murdering of your Soveraigne? and that in publicke view, at his owne House, to make White-Hall the blackest Palace that ever eye beheld? Must it be your pastime to murder your Soveraigne in that place that was appointed for the baiting of Buls and Beares? O hellish bru­tishnesse I never did Cicilian Tyrants find out such torments against the bodies of their slaves, as these did to agonize the soule of their most Christian, and most Gracious Soveraigne. What now (O ye bloudy City!) doe your gold and silver mountaines of Plate present unto you, but the head of your Dread Soveraigne (as once Saint John the Baptists head was) in one of your Chargers? You feare the firing of your City more than the fire of Hell, and yet you goe the way to be burned in the flame both of the one, and of the other. You have heaped up your sinnes like your treasures. You thinke not that godlinesse is great gaine, but that great gaine is god­linesse, which you will purchase at any rate. You will sell your soules for wealth, and yet you will willingly part from your wealth to purchase damnation for your soules. You have heaped up treasures against the day of wrath, and as you heap up treasure to maintaine your sinne, so you heap up sinnes to destroy your treasure: your sinnes and treasures are the equall contributers to your judgement. Behold, stand amazed, and consider, That he who clothed you in Purple [Page 24] and Skarlet, is now by your cruelty, Rebellion and trea­chery, purpled over in the goare of his owne bloud. He that by his grace and favour made you rich, like the Mer­chants of Tyrus, to whose coffers all the glory of the earth contributed their riches, that made the Nobles of the earth your Pilates, is now by your meanes divested of all His glo­ry. He, the warmth of whose bosome cherished you to life, is now stung to death by the poyson of your malice. He, whose Royall Ancestors gave you that sword, the ensigne and honour of your Loyalty, is now murdered by that sword which was given for his defence: And he, whose care was for your preservation, prosperity, and happinesse, is now murdered by your cruelty. Talke no more of your glorious deeds, your Hospitals, your Almes-houses, your pretended charity. You build Almes-houses, and seeke to fill them with the Royall Race, the Nobility and Gentry of the Kingdome, whose wealth formerly filled your coffers. You glory that your Hospitals should be stored with those Royall spirits who are made miserable by your selves. Talke no more of your Wals, your Tower, your Fortifications, though you build them up as high as Babel, though you tower them up to the skyes. Heaven can sleight them as well as the levelling Army, your confusion is within your selves, and you that used your hands to the murdering of your King, may come your selves to be destroyed without hands.

It pities me to consider the severall Counties, who (being to the City as the veines to the liver) have filled their chan­nell with bloud from that fountaine, whereby the whole Kingdome is like Aholibah, all wallowed in her bloud: And these three Kingdomes fight their Battell Royall to the ruine of each other. Alas, alas, how have the people suffe­red themselves to be entitled as well to the judgement as the sinnes of these men? When all these wicked abomina­tions are done under the name of the people, and when the people calmely sit still, without entring so much as their Protestations against them, what can the world judge but that they themselves are the actors thereof? And is not this [Page 25] the high roade to make the people abhominated in the sight both of God and man? and to cause the Christian Princes to root out the whole Nation, and plant it with others who may bring forth better fruits of Religion, and Loyalty? Was there ever such a thing done before these times, that a sort of impious men should pretend the power and Authority of the People to cut off the Peoples head, and to make them felo de se, murderers of themselves? The forgerie of Bale, by usurping the name and person of another, was heretofore accounted felonie: But felony and treason is too low a name to expresse the detestation of that sinne whereby the sonnes of Belial entitle the People to their sinnes and judgements. These dandlings of the Peoples Indulgencies, which pretend to aime at the Peoples greatest good, have implunged the People in the greatest sinnes, misery and shame.

It pities me for those Royall Stemmes, the pledges of our succeeding hope; Those Olive branches, sometimes round about the Kings Table, were their Fathers comfort, and all good peoples joy, when it was esteemed a blessing from heaven to have his quiver full of such shafts. But what heart doth not bleed to see the inheritance of their Royall Father sold away? The eldest sonne and heire of His Crowne and Kingdomes voted not to raigne, and the younger children voted that they were borne to nothing? Doe these men know what it is to take the old ones with the young. And admit the King had been guilty, and themselves invested with a Legall power to punish him, to set the childrens teeth on edge, because the Fathers have eaten sowre grapes, is not sutable to the principles of old Divinity, nor was it practised by King [...] amongst the Jewes upon the children of those who murdered his Father: And shall these Royall, sweet, and innocent babes be exposed to sorrow and shame, and be left as naked as Job upon the dunghill, because their Father was constant to his Religion, and a lover of his peo­ple? Who doth not sadly bewaile the mourning of that in­nocent Turtle, who doth so bitterly lament the absence of her bemoaned mate? The inventions of new sinnes have found [Page 26] out new divorces for those that obeyed and loved their hus­bands according to the old Law. [...] [...]ound that she was a Queene, which was with th [...]m [...] [...]ght to root out Mo­narchy, as the sinne against the Holy Ghost, never to be for­given in th [...]s world, nor in the world to come: Nay more, she was Wife to Charles the First, and Mother to Charles the Second Kings of Great Britaine, which was so transcen­dent a crime, that never a woman excepting her selfe was guilty of such a fault. Yea (that which more aggravates the fault) she dearly loved her husband, and sought to maintaine his Regall Rights; She mourned and lamented for his suf­ferings, and now seeks to shew her love to him by her ten­der and indulgent care over His Royall race. These, these are the realtie of those faults for which she is thus deprived of her Husband, her Children, her Estate, her Honour, and voted guilty of High Treason. But O let that God who is a Father to the Fatherlesse, and an Husband to the Widow, plead their cause; O let the pitifull cryes of the Fatherlesse and the Widow come before thee; O let the malicious wic­kednesse of their adversaries come to an end: But let those terrible stormes and tempests, which have throwne downe and rooted up so many Cedars, now turne to a calme sere­nity; Let the Royall Branches take root and flourish more than ever; Let excellent Majesty be added to them; Yea let them for ever rejoyce in the affections of a most Loyall Peo­ple; And let the People triumph in the protection of that Royall Race, who I heartily pray may in all things be like their Martyr-Progenitor, except his sufferings.

It pities me for that sometimes most pious and glorious Church, which was as much the stupendium of the Nations for her piety, wisedome, and I earning, as she is now for her shame and confusion. How did once those golden Lampes of the Sanctuary burne cleare, untill her Levites under pre­tence of snurfing them, have in a manner extinguished the same? How have they removed that golden Candlesticke, whose lustre rather inflamed these mens wicked hearts to sacrilegious Felony, than enlightened them in the wayes of [Page 27] Piety? These Babylonians more rejoyce to carrouse in the golden Vessells of the Temple, than by taking the cup of salvation to call upon the Name of the Lord. That Ce­lestiall piece of Beauty, that once suckt the breasts of Kings, and had Queenes for her nursing Mothers, is now (as if she were of Elyes Family, turned out of the Priest­hood) ready to begge her bread: And those that instructed others in the wayes of Piety, have now none other liberty of Preaching, but by the exercise of Patience, and Piety in their owne Practise.

It pitties me for those two eyes of the Kingdome, the sometimes famous Universities; How are they now be­come bloud-shed by the Murder of their Soveraigne? Ne­ver were Elyes, or Jacobs eyes more dimme with age, than these now are, who like the blinde man in the Gospell see men walking like Trees, and have now no other use, but to behold their owne miseries, and then to weep for those miseries which they doe behold. And certainly, the putting out of these two eyes is no lesse a reproach to the Nation, than Nahash his putting out the right eye of Israel would have been to them. The light of the body is the eye, but if the eye be darkened, how great is that darknesse? If Jere­boams Calves reforme our Bethels, of purpose to hinder the worship of God at Jerusalem, it is no marvaile if Jeroboams memory be stigmatized with this eternall Brand, That it was Jeroboam the Sonne of Nebot that made Israel to sinne. Farewell therefore Religion, farewell Learning, farewell all the blessed Lights of the Sanctuary, till God shall in mercy send us some good Josiah to restore our Priests, our Levites, our Temples, and the Service of God as at the first.

It pitties me for those jarring strings of the Irish Harpe, whereof so many have beene knapt asunder by screwing them to too high a Note, and others have been remissed to keep the Instrument in perpetuall Discord. O how sweet­ly did our David tune this Harpe againe, enough to have [Page 28] quieted the evill Spirit of Saul himself; had not multitudes of Sauls, possessed with worse Spirits than Saul was, mur­dered up our David.

It pitties me for our owne Nation; we are now become like Egypt for our sinnes, and for our Divisions; Egypt is ri­sen up against Egypt, and City against City. Never did the Cadmaean race with more eagernesse destroy each other, than we have done: Yea happy had we been if (like Cain) wee had contented our selves onely with our Brothers bloud, but the bloud of other Kingdomes as well as of our owne, of our Soveraigne as well as of our Brethren, cries for vengeance against us. And were it nor for those Hero­icke Spirits, Those Montrosses, those Gurdians, those Ogle­byes, and others, whose loyall breasts may mediate with his Majesty, and forraigne Princes, by a timely attonement, we could not expect, but that as the source and originall of all these miseries came from us, so the Dregges of this bit­ter Cup would be left to us. What shall we doe, when the wrath of the Lamb appeares against us? it will be in vaine to call upon the Rocks to cover us, and the mountaines to fall u [...]on us to hi [...]e us from that wrath. O let that bloud of our deare Soveraign, shed by the cruelty, covetousnesse, and treachery of our hands, be for ever silent.

But the great Cedars never fall alone: When the Sunne is turned into bloud, it is no marvaile if the starres fall from Heaven; If the Fountaine be dryed up, it is no marvaile if the lesser Channells cease their Current; and no man of judgement can expect, but that where these men root out the King, and all the Royall Race, they will likewise de­stroy the Nobles. Protestations to the contrary are not of value with those that change their principles together with their fortune: They that think it their glory to bind Kings in chaines, will deeme it their honour to binde Nobles in Links of [...]ron. Where the Scripture, Well is thee, O Land, when thy Princes are the Sonnes of Nobles, is become Apo­cryphall, there, in these mens Divinity, no Nobles must [Page 29] be allowed to be the Sonnes of Princes. The next in ho­nour to the Royall Race are the Noble Families, and there­fore they must be next in suffering. No Bishop no King, No King no Nobles, are the undoubted sequences of these times. Those that like Death will levell Scep­ters with the Spade, will teach their children to presume against the Ancient, and the vile against the Honourable. But O yee Noble soules, whose breasts were not framed of the common mould, suffer not your Silver to become Drosse, nor your Wine to be mixt with Water: You that had the honour of being Peeres and Companions with your Soveraigne in his Sufferings, be yee so likewise in the Gal­lantry of your Heroick Spirits. You cannot hope to equa­lize him in his more than humane Resolutions, that is a Coppy for your admiration; Heaven only requires your de­sire and emulation therein: But to imitate it is a Divine Privilege reserved onely for those Martyr-Kings, whose exchange of Crownes and Kingdomes for Celestiall glo­ry makes them the choisest Favourites of Heaven. Shine and be glorious in your owne Spheres; but grieve not that a starre cannot equalize the glory of the Sunne: Onely as the King is most glorious amongst Princes, so would I have you to bee amongst the Nobles of the Earth.

And as for our present Soveraigne (whom I hope the Divine Providence hath reserved to bee the repairer of the breach) mine hearty d [...]sire is, and I hope it will bee all your Prayers, that hee may bee as another Solomon, to sit on the Throne of his Father David, being as eminent for his Wisedome and Excellency of Majesticke Power, as his Father was for his Piety and Sufferings. O let that Sunne which hath now long beene muffled in Clouds, break forth with more resplendent Majesty; Let that Tree which hath beene bound with Fetters budde forth, and be as the great Tree, which spreads its branches to the foure corners of the earth, in whose branches the Fowls [Page 30] of the Aire doe nest, and under whose shadow the Beasts of the Field doe rest themselves. O let all mens hearts, tongues, hands, and prayers contribute to such a blessing; and let it continue from generation to generation, till time shall be no more, and till all the Kings of the earth shall cast downe their Crownes at the feet of him that is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords: And in the meane time let all good People in the passionate affections of their soules cry out, ‘God save KING CHARLES the Second.’