Eikon Basilike Part 19

_Though thou hast restrained my person, yet enlarg my heart to thee, & thy grace towards me._

_I come far short of_ Davids __pietie; yet since I may equal Davids _afflictions, give me also the comforts, and the sure mercies of_ David.

_Let the penitent sense I have of my sins, be an evidence to me, that thou hast pardoned them._

_Let not the evils, which I and my Kingdoms have suffered seem little unto thee, though thou hast not punished us according to our sins._

_Turn thee (O Lord) unto me; have mercy upon me, for I am desolate and afflicted._

_The sorrows of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my troubles._

_Hast thou forgotten to be gracious, and shut up thy loving kindness in displeasure?_

_O remember thy compa.s.sions of old, and thy loving kindesses, which have been for many generations._

_I had utterly fainted, if I had not believed to see thy goodnesse in the land of the living._

_Let not the sins of our prosperitie deprive us of the benefit of thy afflictions._

_Let this fiery triall consume the drosse which in long peace and plentie we had contracted._

_Though thou continuest miseries, yet withdraw not thy grace; what is wanting of prosperitie, make up in patience and repentance._

_And if thy anger be not to be yet turned away, but thy hand of Justice must be stretched out still: Let it, I beseech thee, be against me, and my Fathers house; as for these sheep, what have they done?_

_Let my sufferings satiate the malice of mine, and thy Churches enemies._

_But let their crueltie never exceed the measure of my charitie._

_Banish from me all thoughts of Revenge, that I may not lose the reward, nor thou the glorie of my patience._

_As thou givest me an heart to forgive them, so I beseech thee, do thou forgive what they have done against thee and me._

_And now, O Lord, as thou hast given me an heart to pray unto thee; so hear and accept this Vow which I make before thee._

_If thou wilt in mercie remember Me, and my Kingdoms; In continuing the light of thy Gospel, and settling thy true Religion among us:_

_In restoring to us the benefits of the Laws, and the due execution of Justice:_

_In suppressing the many schismes in Church, and Factions in State:_

_If thou wilt restore me and mine to the Ancient rights and glory of my Predecessors:_

_If thou wilt turn the hearts of my people to thy self in Pietie, to me in Loyaltie, and to one another in Charitie:_

_If thou wilt quench the flames, and withdraw the fewell of these Civill Wars:_

_If thou wilt bless us with the freedom of Publike Counsels, and deliver the Honour of Parliaments from the insolency of the vulgar:_

_If thou wilt keep me from the great offence of enacting any thing against my Conscience: and especially for consenting to sacrilegious rapines, and spoilings of thy Church:_

_If thou wilt restore me to a capacity to glorifie thee in doing good, both to the Church and State:_

_Then shall my soul praise thee, and Magnifie thy name before my people._

_Then shall thy glorie be dearer to me then my Crown; and the advancement of true Religion both in puritie and power be my chiefest care._

_Then will I rule my People with justice, and my Kingdoms with equity:_

_To thy more immediate hand shal I ever own as the rightfull succession, so the mercifull restauration of my Kingdoms, and the glorie of them._

_If thou wilt bring me again with Peace safetie and honour, to my chiefest City and my Parliament:_

_If thou wilt again put the Sword of Justice into my hand to punish and protect:_

_Then will I make all the world to see, and my very Enemies to enjoy the benefit of this Vow and resolution of Christian charitie, which I now make unto thee O Lord._

_As I do freely pardon for Christ's sake those that have offended me in any kind; so my hand shall never be against any man to revenge what is past, in regard of any particular injurie done to me._

_We have been mutually punished in our unnaturall divisions, for thy sake O Lord, and for the love of my Redeemer have I purposed this in my heart, That I will use all means in the waies of amnesty, and indempnitie; which may most fullie remove all feares, and burie all jealousies in forgetfulnesse._

_Let thy mercies be towards me and mine, as my resolutions of Truth and Peace are towards my people._

_Hear my praier O Lord, which goeth not out of feigned lips._

_Blessed be G.o.d, who hath not turned away my prayer, or taken his mercy from me._

_O my soul commit thy way to the Lord, trust in him and he shall bring it to pa.s.s_.

_But if thou wilt not restore me and mine, what am I that I should charge thee foolishly?_

_Thou, o Lord hast given, and thou hast taken, Blessed be thy name._

_May my people and thy Church be happie if not by me, yet without me._

26. _Upon the Armies surprisall of the King at_ Holmby, _and the ensuing distractions in the two Houses, the Army, and the City._

What part G.o.d will have me now to act or suffer in this new and strange scene of affaires, I am not much solicitous; some little practise will serve that man, who only seeks to represent a part of honesty and honour.

This surprize of me tels the world, that a KING cannot be so low, but he is considerable, adding weight to that party where he appears.

This motion, like others of the Times, seems excentrique and irregular, yet not well to be resisted or quieted: Better swim down such a stream, then in vain to strive against it.