HIS MAIESTIES Speech and Protestation on Sunday the fifth of February, before the Lords and Vniversitie of Oxford, for the renouncing of Poperie.
THere is not that Blessing which Man on Earth can be capable of, but it may be obtained by Prayer. Our many sinnes had tempted the Almighties Wrath, and pull'd downe Iudgements on our Heads; our many Prayers have woed againe the Almighties Mercy, and procured new Blessings to descend upon us. We have felt the edge of the Sword, and languished under the Iron hand of Warre: we now againe begin to heare the sounds of Ioy, and to behold the smooth Brow of Peace to smile upon us. This is the worke of God, and the event of the Prayers of holy men; and as it was procured by the Exercise of Religion, so Religion begins to flourish, and to be confirmed by it, and feares no more the thick Clouds of Superstition and Poperie shall shadow and over-spread this Kingdome.
On the fifth of this present Moneth, his Maiestie being resident at Oxford, and attended with a brave Traine of the Nobilitie, heard that morning a Sermon in the Cathedrall Church: which being ended, and the holy Sacrament of the Eucharist being that day to be celebrated, his Maiestie [Page 2] beholding a great multitude or his Nobilitie round about him, spake thus unto them.
Although I am not bound to give account to any of my thoughts but unto God alone, yet for your better satisfaction, and that my people might understand how much I have suffered by prejudicate rumour and opinion; I this day protest before the face of Almightie God, and before you all, that in my heart I am farre from Poperie, and so by Gods grace will continue vnto the end of my life; neither did my Queene ever to my knowledge so much as perswade me once to alter my Religion.
When he had spoke this, with great gratulation and ioy of his Nobilitie, he received the holy Sacrament.
And this assurance of his Maiesty hath bin since seconded in hi [...] Answer to the Petition of both his Houses of Parliament; wherein he assureth them of his pious resolution to maintaine the true Protestant Religion, and for the abolishing of Superstition and Popery: which hath turned our weeping into laughter, and our sorrowes into song [...] of Ioy. God give us the grace, to give his glorious Name the praise, to be gratefull unto him, to reioyce in him with true thank fulnesse, when such a Blessing is imparted, and now our s [...]es are comf [...]rted. To this purpose the Story of the Iewes, being deli [...]ered from all their feares, is very remarkab [...]e. The Text saith, That they rested the same day, and made [...]t d [...]y of feasting, and gladnesse, a good day, and sent portions and presents one to another: But wherefore was all this? for saving their lives, and prevailing against their enemies.
But, O thou God of Heaven! That ridest upon the wings of the Wind, and holdest the reines of the Kingdomes of the World in thy hand, to let loose or restraine at thy pleasure: Thou knowest that we have more causes to reioyce, and be glad, then the Iewes in their Purim▪ for if we may compare the [Page 3] lesse with the greater, they had but the preservation of their bodies, & a flight triumph against their temporal enemies; we are in the way to save our soules, and put our spirituall adversaries to flight, the Flesh, the World, and the Devill.
What, is Papistry to be suppressed, the Priests and Iesuits to be banished, and the Gospel of Iesus Christ to flourish? My soule leapes for ioy, and my heart is inditing a good matter, I speake of the things which I have made touching the King: My tongue is the Pen of a readie Writer. O blessed be God for this alteration.
Doth not Ieremy tell us, that in Ramah there was a voyce heard, lamentation and weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they were not. Did not all England wring their hands for sorrow, and begin to mourne, and to be affrighted, when they saw the Papists so arrogantly mischievous, to insult in every Towne and Shire, and mock us to our faces? To bring up their Armies, and defie our Religion, and threaten utterly to demolish it, as if Sandolet and Tabiah were come againe to deride the Iewes, when Nehemiah did re-edifie the Temple. And hath not God put it into the Kings heart, to damme up this inundation, and to keepe the raging Sea within its bounds, that it should not overflow the lower and more fruitfull grounds?
Marke but the progression of this Businesse: How have the Papists behaved themselves within these two yeres, and especially since his Maiestie hath absented himselfe from his Parliament? How insolently have they brag'd of their Forces? How illegally have they mustered and drawn them together? And being now under the command of the Earle of Newcastle, how impudertly have they threatned the overthrow of us all, especially of our late flourishing and renowned Citie of London.
[Page 4] But was this all? No, no, the severall Shires of England, worse by farre then the Iewes, who poysoned the Springs of Sweet Water, in these dayes had and still have malicious Instruments to corrupt the Youth of the Countrey; and the Priests, Iesuites, Fryers have run from House to House, and made them all amazed with crying out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
The Court at Oxford, and the frequent Visitations of our Malignants in London, have their Assemblies mingled with a number of audacious and peremptorie Romanists, who not onely branded us for luke-warmenesse, and uniustifiable Actions, but boasted in their Disputations that they had put the true and learned Ministers and Servants of God to silence, as if Sidkiah should strike Machaiah on the face, and peremptorily aske him, When the Spirit of God departed from him, to be infused in such an Vnderling.
The Court had not onely every Corner, but publique Walkes filled with Papists and Hispaniolized Temporizers: and what did they, but appeare in severall disguised formes, and their corrupt hearts taught their tongues to vent forth Blasphemies and notorious Abuses? For as you reade how Ieremy was taken by his enemies, and brought before the Princes and Priests, for weakening the hands of the Men of Warre, and daunted their hearts that wished well to the Peace of Sion; so played these imposturing Spirits, charming all men with such Subtleties, that they would beleeve nothing true, but what proceeded from themselves.
Most infinite i [...] the difference betweene the government of the Protestant and Papist Churches; the Papists committing blasphemous Idolatry, derogating from the Honour of God, attributing it to the adoration of Creatures; [Page 7] they dissemble with God and their own soules, and all that deale with them, they allow of murther and monstrous impiety, and in a word are poysoned with the dregs of abomination wherewith the whore of Babylon hath filled her cup, when the true protestant and zealous Christian alloweth God the preheminence of all adoration, will by no meanes blaspheme with idolatrous▪ Exorcismes detesteth whoredome and all incestuous leprosie, desieth the participation of Gods glory to murther simply and plainly contriveth his affairs, and keepeth his word though it be to his own hinderance intermeddles not with matters of State, except he be called to places of Eminencie; and dares not abuse the Maiestie of Princes by interiecting a iealousie and suspicion betweene the Prince and the Subiect. And is not this a great alteration? and cause enough to induce us to thanke God, and acknowledge his mercy and kindenesse, that our King and Parliament would go and buy eyesalve without money perspicuously to looke into the enormities of the Church and Common wealth, and not onely with Nehemias to abridge the extreamity of usury to compell a relaxation of debts and oppression: to keepe and sanctifie the Sabbath, to put away their Idolatrous wives, but also will not suffer the Ammonites and Moabites to come into Gods temple but enforce them to banishment out of Jerusalem, and thus (thanks be to God) our great Nehemiah the King hath bin pleased now to expresse Himself against the Papists, He not onely thinkes them as pricks and thorns in the sides of good Christians; but He findes them (for all their pretences of assisting Him) as noysome and infectious weedes in the Common-Wealth, to eate up and choak the sweete flowers and the spring-grasse.
Shall such a man as I fly (saith Nehemiah?) And shall such a King as I (saith our Soveraigne) Who hath beene [Page 8] trayned up from my infancie to denie Popery now suffer my Kingdome of great Brittaine the Nursery of zealous Professors, the Mirrour of Puritie and Piety to be defiled and contaminated with the poison of superstition?
Now I have recollected my selfe, shall I give way to rotten and filthy Policie to eate up the heart of true Relion, or suffer private ends to thicken themselves like some obscure and dangerous cloud to stand as an interposition betweene the sunny splendor of Gods Word, and the faire progresse of government? No, no, I will now be my selfe, and therefore if either the Pope or Sectary derides mee with Michol for dancing before the Ark, and bringing it into Gods house I will answer with David, I will yet become more vile and zealous for the Lord, and as he told his wife that therefore God had taken the Kingdom from his father and invested him with the Diadem of it, so may now King Charles answer all Malignants, that therefore God will make Him mighty in His Provinces in despight of Malignant opposition: And Great Brittaize shall not be able onely to stand firme, but like an impregnable rocke in all honour, riche [...], and prosperity, and of sufficiencie to protect distressed neighbours, and recover unfortunate and surrepted Province.
Therfore away ye Priests & Iesui es, and let us hear no more of your daring impostures, and that you will yet remaine Papists and with the adder stop your ears though the charmer charmeth never so wifely, let us see the backs of our adversaries, and th [...] banishment of those that hate us that we may see our honest neighbours sublevated with care & diligence, the whole Iland flourishing with prosperity and confidence the poor relieved the trade restored, the City repayred, the Merchant countenanced▪ the true souldier honored, the clergy man beloved, the well-deserving reverenced, the weak supported▪ the obstinate punished the offendor, through frailty remitted, and all just actions practised to the glory of God, and the comfort of our owne soules.