lpless Spectators; my Enemies insolent
Revilers and Triumphers over me, living, dying, and dead, is so
probable in humane reason, that God hath taught me not to hope
otherwise as to mans crueltie; however, I despair not of Gods infinite
mercy.

I know my life is the Object of the devils & wicked mens malice, but
yet under Gods sole custodie and disposal: whom I do not think to
flatter for longer life by seeming prepared to die; but I humbly
desire to depend upon him, and to submit to his will both in life and
death, in what order soever he is pleased to lay them out to me. I
confess it is not easie for me to contend with those many horrours
of Death, wherewith God suffers me to be tempted; which are equally
horrid, either in the suddennesse of a barbarous Assasination or in
those greater formalities, whereby my Enemies [being more solemnly
cruel] will, it may be, seek to adde [as those did who Crucified
Christ] the mockery of Justice, to the cruelty of malice: That I may
be destroyed, as with greater pomp and artifice, so with less pity,
will be but a necessary policie to make my Death appear as an Act of
Justice, done by subjects upon their Soveraign, who know that no Law
of God or Man invests them with any power of Judicature without me,
much lesse against me: and who, being sworn, and bound by all that is
sacred before God and man, to endeavour my preservation, must pretend
Justice to cover their perjury.

It is, indeed, a sad fate for any man to have his Enemies to be
Accusers, Parties, and Judges; but most desperate, when this is acted
by the insolence of Subjects against their Soveraign; wherein those,
who have had the cheifest hand, and are most guilty of contriving the
publick Troubles, must by shedding my bloud, seem to wash their own
hands of that innocent bloud whereof they are now most evidently
guilty before God and Man; and I beleeve in their own Consciences too,
while they carried on unreasonable Demands, First by Tumults, after
by Armies. Nothing makes mean spirits more cowardly-cruel in managing
their usurped power against their lawful Superiours then this, the
_guilt of their unjust Usurpation_: notwithstanding those specious
& popular pretentions of Justice against Delinquents applied only to
disguise at first the monstrousnesse of their designs, who despaired,
indeed, of possessing the power and profits of the Vineyard, till the
heir whose right it is, be cast out and slain.

With them My greates