Basiliká the works of King Charles the martyr : with a collection of declarations, treaties, and other papers concerning the differences betwixt His said Majesty and his two houses of Parliament : with the history of his life : as also of his tryal and martyrdome.

XIX. Vpon the various Events of the War; Victories and Defeats.

THE various Successes of this unhappy War have at least afforded Me variety of good Meditations. Sometimes God was pleased to try Me with Victory, by worsting my Enemies, that I might know how with Moderation and thanks to own and use his Power, who is only the true Lord of Hosts, able when he pleases to repress the Confidence of those that fought against Me with so great advantages for Power and Number.

From small beginnings on My part he let me see, that I was not wholly forsaken by My Peoples Love or his Protection.

Other times God was pleased to exercise my Patience, and teach Me not to trust in the arm of Flesh, but in the living God.

My Sins sometimes prevailed against the Justice of my Cause: and those that were with Me wanted not matter and occasion for his just Chastisement both of them and Me. Nor were my Enemies less punished by that Prosperity, which hardened them to continue that Injustice by open Hostility, which was begun by most riotous and un∣parliamentary Tumults.

There is no doubt but personal and private Sins may oft-times over-balance the Justice of publick engagements; nor doth God account every gallant man (in the worlds esteem) a fit instrument to assert in the way of War a righteous Cause. The more men are prone to arrogate to their own Skill, Valour and Strength, the less doth God ordinarily work by them for his own Glory.

I am sure the Event or Success can never state the Justice of any Cause, nor the peace of mens Consciences, nor the eternal fate of their Souls.

Those with Me had (I think) clearly and undoubtedly for their Justification the Word of Cod and the Laws of the Land, together with their own Oaths; all requiring Obedience to My just Commands; but to none other under Heaven without Me, or against Me, in the point of raising Arms.

Those on the other side are forced to flie to the shifts of some pretended Fears, and wild fundamentals of State (as they call them) which actually overthrow the present Fabrick both of Church and State; being such imaginary Reasons for self-defence as are most impertinent for those men to alledg, who being My Subjects, were manifestly the first assaulters of Me and the Laws, first by unsuppressed Tumults, after by listed Forces. The same Allegations they use, will fit any Faction that hath but power and Confidence enough to second with the Sword all their demands against the Present Laws and Governors; which can never be such as some Side or other will not find fault with, so as to urge what they call a Reformation of them, to a Rebellion against them.

Some parasitick Preachers have dared to call those Martyrs who died fighting against Me, the Laws, their Oaths, and the Religion established: But sober Christians know, that glorious Title can with truth be applied only to those who sincerely preferred God's Truth and their Duty in all these particulars before their Lives and all that was dear to them in this world; who having no advantagious designs by any Innovation, were religiously sensible of those ties to God, the Church, and My self, which lay upon their Souls, both for Obedience and just Assistance.

God could, and I doubt not but he did, through his Mercy, crown many of them with Eternal Life whose lives were lost in so just a Cause; the destruction of their Bo∣dies being sanctified as a means to save their Souls.

Their Wounds and temporal Ruine serving as a gracious opportunity for their eter∣nal Health and Happiness, while the evident approach of Death, did through Gods Grace, effectually dispose their hearts to such Humility, Faith and Repentance, which, together with the Rectitude of their present Engagement, would fully prepare them for a better Life than that which their Enemies brutish and disloyal Fierceness could deprive them of, or without Repentance hope to enjoy.

They have often indeed had the better against My side in the Field, but never, I believe, at the Bar of Gods Tribunal, or their own Consciences; where they are more afraid to encounter those many pregnant Reasons, both from Law, Allegiance and all true Christian grounds, which conflict with, and accuse them in their own thoughts, than they oft were in a desperate bravery to fight against those Forces which sometimes God gave Me.

Whose condition conquered and dying I make no question but is infinitely more to be chosen by a sober man (that duly values his Duty, his Soul and Eternity be∣yond the enjoyments of this present Life) than the most triumphant glory wherein their and Mine Enemies supervive; who can hardly avoid to be daily tormented by that horrid guilt wherewith their suspitious or now-convincted Consciences do pursue them; especially since they and all the World have seen how false and un-intended those pretensions were which they first set forth as the only plausible (tho not justifiable) grounds of raising a War, and continuing it thus long against Me and the Laws esta∣blished, in whose safety and preservation all honest men think the welfare of their Coun∣try doth consist.

For and with all which it is far more honourable and comfortable to suffer, than to prosper in their ruine and subversion.

I have often prayed, that all on My side might joyn true Piety with the sense of their Loyalty, and be as faithful to God and their own Souls as they were to Me: That the defects of the one might not blast the endeavours of the other.

Yet I cannot think that any shews or truth of Piety on the other side were sufficient to dispence with, or expiate the defects of their Duty and Loyalty to Me, which have so pregnant convictions on mens Consciences, that even profaner men are moved by the sense of them to venture their lives for Me.

I never had any Victory which was without My Sorrow, because it was on mine own Subjects, who, like Absolom, died many of them in their sin: And yet I never suffered any Defeat which made Me despair of Gods Mercy and Defence.

I never desired such Victories as might serve to conquer, but only restore the Laws and Liberties of My People; which I saw were extremely oppressed, together with My Rights, by those men who were impatient of any just restraint.

When Providence gave Me or denied Me Victory, My desire was neither to boast of My Power, nor to charge God foolishly; who I believe at last would make all things to work together for My good.

I wished no greater advantages by the War, than to bring My Enemies to Modera∣tion, and My Friends to Peace.

I was afraid of the temptation of an absolute Conquest, and never prayed more for Victory over others than over My self. When the first was denied, the second was granted Me, which God saw best for Me.

The different events were but the methods of Divne Justice, by contrary winds to winnow us: That by punishing our Sins he might purge them from us; and by de∣deferring Peace, he might prepare us more to prize and better to use so great a Bles∣sing.

My often Messages for Peace shewed that I delighted not in War: as my former Concessions sufficiently testified how willingly I would have prevented it; and my to∣tal unpreparedness for it, how little I intended it.

The conscience of my Innocency forbade Me to fear a War; but the love of My Kingdoms commanded Me (if possible) to avoid it.

I am guilty in this War of nothing but this, That I gave such advantages to some men by confirming their Power, which they knew not to use with that modesty and gratitude which became their Loyalty and My Confidence.

Had I yielded less, I had been opposed less; had I denied more, I had been more obeyed.

'Tis now too late to review the Occasions of the War; I wish only a happy Con∣clusion of so unhappy Beginnings. The inevitable fate of our Sins was (no doubt) such, as would no longer suffer the Divine Justice to be quiet: we having conquered his

Patience, are condemned by mutual conquerings to destroy one another; for the most prosperous Successes on either side impair the welfare of the whole.

Those Victories are still miserable that leave our Sins un-subdued, flushing our Pride, and animating to continue Injuries.

Peace it self is not desirable, till Repentance have prepared us for it.

When we fight more against our selves and less against God, we shall cease fighting one against another. I pray God these may all meet in our hearts, and so dispose us to an happy conclusion of these Civil Wars, that I may know better to obey God, and govern my People, and they may learn better to obey both God and Me.

Nor do I desire any man should be further subject to Me, than all of us may be subject to God.

O my God, make Me content to be overcome, when Thou wilt have it so.

Teach Me the noblest Victory over My self and my Enemies by Patience; which was Christs Conquest, and may well become a Christian King.

Between both thy hands, the right sometimes supporting, and the left afflicting, fashion us to that frame of Piety Thou likest best.

Forgive the Pride that attends our prosperous, and the Repinings which follow our dis∣astrous events; when going forth in our own strength, Thou withdrawest thine, and goest not forth with our Armies.

Be Thou all, when we are something, and when we are nothing; that Thou mayest have the Glory, when we are in a victorious or inglorious condition.

Thou, O Lord, knowest how hard it is for Me to suffer so much evil from my Subjects, to whom I intend nothing but good; and I cannot but suffer in those Evils which they compel Me to inflict upon them, punishing My self in their Punishments.

Since therefore both in conquering and being conquered I am still a Sufferer; I beseech Thee to give Me a double portion of thy Spirit, and that measure of Grace which only can be sufficient for Me.

As I am most afflicted, so make Me most reformed; that I may be not only happy to see an end of these Civil Distractions, but a chief instrument to restore and establish a firm and blessed Peace to My Kingdoms.

Stir up in all parties pious ambitions to overcome each other with Reason, Moderation, and such Self-denial as becomes those who consider, that our mutual Divisions are our com∣mon Distractions, and the Vnion of all is every good mans chiefest Interest.

If, O Lord, as for the sins of our Peace Thou hast brought upon us the miseries of War, so for the sins of War Thou shouldst see fit still to deny us the blessing of Peace, and so keep us in a circulation of Miseries; yet give Me thy Servant, and all Loyal (tho afflicted) Subjects, to enjoy that Peace which the world can neither give to us nor take from us.

Impute not to Me the Blood of My Subjects, which with infinite unwillingness and grief hath been shed by Me in My just and necessary Defence; but wash Me with that precious Blood which hath been shed for Me by my great Peace-maker, Jesus Christ: who will, I trust, redeem Me shortly out of all My Troubles; for I know the triumphing of the Wicked is but short, and the joy of Hypocrites is but for a moment.