hrists bloud to wash their souls from the
guilt of shedding mine.
At present, the will of mine Enemies seems to be their only rule,
their power the measure, and their Successe the Exactor, of what they
please to call Justice, while they flatter themselves with the fancy
of their own safety by my danger, and the security of their lives
designs by My Death: forgetting, That as the greatest temptations to
sin are wrapped up in seeming prosperities, so the severest vengeances
of God are then most accomplished, when men are suffered to compleat
their wicked purposes.
I bless God, I Pray not so much, that this bitter Cup of violent Death
may pass from Me, as that of his wrath may pass from al those, whose
hands by deserting Me, are sprinkled, or by Acting and Consenting to
My Death are embrued with My Bloud.
The will of God hath confined, and concluded Mine; I shall have the
pleasure of Dying, without any pleasure of desired vengeance.
This I think becomes a Christian toward his Enemies, and a King toward
His Subjects.
They cannot deprive Me of more then I am content to lose, when God
sees fit by their hands to take it from Me; whose mercy I beleive,
will more then infinitely recompence what ever by mans injustice, he
is pleased to deprive Me of.
The glory attending My Death, will far surpass all I could enjoy, or
conceive in life.
I shall not want the heavy and envyed Crowns of this world, when My
God hath mercifully Crowned and Consummated his graces with Glory,
and exchanged the shadows of My earthly Kingdoms among men, for the
substance of that Heavenlie Kingdom with himself.
For the censures of the world; I know the sharp and necessarie
tyrannie of My Destroyers will sufficiently confute the calumnies of
tyrannie against Me; I am perswaded I am happie in the judicious love
of the ablest and best of My Subjects, who do not only Pitie and Pray
for Me, but would be content even to die with Me, or for Me.
These know how to excuse My failings, as a man, and yet to retain
and pay their dutie to Me, as their King; there being no religious
necessitie binding any Subjects by pretending to punish, infinitely to
exceed the faults and errors of their Princes, especially there, where
more then sufficient satisfaction hath been made to the Publick; the
enjoyment of which, private ambitions have hitherto frustrated.
Others, I beleeve, of softer tempers, and less advantaged by My
ruine, do alreadie feel sharp conv
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