Nothing seemed less considerable than the Presbyterian Faction in England for many
years, so compliant they were to publick Order: nor indeed was their Party great
either in Church or State, as to mens Judgments. But as soon as Discontents drave
men into Sidings, as ill Humors fall to the disaffected part, which causes Inflammations,
so did all at first who affected any Novelties adhere to that Side, as the most remarka∣ble
and specious note of difference (then) in point of Religion.
All the lesser Factions at first were officious Servants to Presbytery, their great Ma∣ster:
till Time and Military success discovering to each their peculiar Advantages, in∣vited
them to part stakes, and leaving the joynt stock of Uniform Religion, pretended
each to drive for their Party the trade of Profits and Preferments, to the breaking and
undoing not only of the Church and State, but even of Presbytery it self, which seem∣ed
and hoped at first to have ingrossed all.
Let nothing seem little or despicable to You in matters which concern Religion and
the Churches Peace; so as to neglect a speedy reforming and effectual suppressing Er∣rors
and Schisms, which seem at first but as a hand-breadth, yet by Seditious Spirits, as
by strong winds, are soon made to cover and darken the whole Heaven.
When You have done Justice to God, Your own Soul, and his Church, in the pro∣fession
and preservation both of Truth and Unity in Religion; the next main hinge on
which Your Prosperity will depend and move is that of Civil Justice, wherein the set∣led
Laws of these Kingdoms, to which You are rightly Heir, are the most excellent
Rules You can Govern by: which by an admirable temperament, give very much to
Subjects Industry, Liberty and Happiness, and yet reserve enough to the Majesty and
Prerogative of any King, who owns his People as Subjects, not as Slaves: whose Sub∣jection,
as it preserves their Property, Peace and Safety, so it will never diminish
Your Rights, nor their ingenuous Liberties, which consist in the enjoyment of the fruits
of their Industry, and the benefit of those Laws to which themselves have consented.
Never charge Your head with such a Crown as shall by its heaviness oppress
the whole Body; the weakness of whose parts cannot return any thing of strength,
honour or safety to the Head, but a necessary debilitation and Ruin.
Your Prerogative is best shewed and exercised in remitting, rather than exacting the
rigor of the Laws; there being nothing worse than Legal Tyranny.
In these two points, the preservation of established Religion and Laws, I may (with∣out
vanity) turn the reproach of My Sufferings, as to the worlds censure, into the
honour of a kind of Martyrdom, as to the testimony of My own Conscience; the
Troublers of My Kingdoms having nothing else to object against Me but this, That
I prefer Religion and Laws establisht before those Alterations they propounded.
And so indeed I do and ever shall, till I am convinced by better Arguments than
what hitherto have been chiefly used towards Me, Tumults, Armies, and Prisons.
I cannot yet learn that Lesson, nor I hope ever will You, That it is safe for a King
to gratifie any Faction with the Perturbation of the Laws, in which is wrap'd up the
publick Interest and the good of the Community.
How God will deal with Me as to the removal of these Pressures and Indignities,
which his Justice by the very unjust hands of some of My Subjects hath been pleased
to lay upon Me, I cannot tell: nor am I much solicitous what Wrong I suffer from
men, while I retain in My Soul what I believe is right before God.
I have offered all for Reformation and Safety that in Reason, Honour and Conscience
I can; reserving only what I cannot consent unto without an irreparable injury to My
own Soul, the Church, and My People, and to You also, as the next and undoubted
Heir of My Kingdoms.
To which if the Divine Providence, to whom no Difficulties are insuperable, shall
in his due time after My decease bring You, as I hope he will, My Counsel and Charge
to You is, that You seriously consider the former real or objected Miscarriages which
might occasion My Troubles, that You may avoid them.
Never repose so much upon any mans single Counsel, Fidelity, and Discretion, in
managing affairs of the first magnitude, (that is, matters of Religion and Justice) as
to create in Your self or others a diffidence of Your own Judgment, which is likely
to be always more constant and impartial to the interests of Your Crown and Kingdom
than any mans.
Next, beware of exasperating any Factions by the crosness and asperity of some
mens Passions, Humors, or private Opinions, imployed by You, grounded only upon
the differences in lesser matters, which are but the skirts and suburbs of Religion.