that, not you in particular: and then what will your religion signify? Though your church hath all that the Apostles' church had, what good will this do you, if you perish in it? Though your ship will go its voyage, what is that to you, if you die of a surfeit by the way? Though you have the true doctrine, communion, sacraments, and prayers, what comfort will all this give you in that terrible day? Yea, what horror will it be, that, being placed well by God, you are fallen from it you have lost, you have thrown away that great blessing that he had given you?

"Beloved, we hope better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak."

"a

I hope, and therefore pray, that all that hear me this day may be the better for being of such a church. God intended we should. He has dealt exceeding graciously with us; but yet he expects that we should do something for ourselves; that, considering the opportunity that is put in our hands,—seeing how near God has brought us to the kingdom of heaven, — seeing nothing but our own sins between us and it, -(should that sight make us fly out, and seek other ways? ways that God never made nor will bless? Nay, rather) we should break through our sins, and go the way that he calls us in his word. There can be no better, there is no other, than this.

So, performing his design, pursuing the ends of our calling, living suitably to our excellent religion, we are indeed the followers of the Apostles in this life, and shall be with them hereafter in the blessedness of life everlasting.

a Heb. v. 9.

THE THIRTIETH OF JANUARY.

455

KING CHARLES THE MARTYR TO THE PRINCE

OF WALES.

ΕΙΚΩΝ ΒΑΣΙΛΙΚΗ.

SON, if these papers, with some others, wherein I have set down the private reflections of my conscience, and my most impartial thoughts, touching the chief passages which have been most remarkable or disputed in my late troubles, come to your hands, to whom they are chiefly designed; they may be so far useful to you, as to state your judgment aright in what hath passed, whereof a pious is the best use can be made; and they may also give you some directions how to remedy the present distempers, and prevent (if God will) the like for time to come.

It is some kind of deceiving and lessening the injury of my long restraint, when I find my leisure and solitude have produced something worthy of myself, and useful to you; that neither you, nor any other, may hereafter measure my cause by the success, nor my judgment of things by my misfortunes; which I count the greater by far, because they have so far lighted upon you, and some others, whom I have most cause to love as well as myself, and of whose unmerited sufferings I have a greater sense than of mine own.

But this advantage of wisdom you have above most

princes; that you have begun, and now spent some years of discretion, in the experience of troubles and exercise of patience, wherein piety and all virtues, both moral and political, are commonly better planted to a thriving, as trees set in winter, than in warmth and serenity of times; or amidst those delights which usually attend princes' courts in times of peace and plenty; which are prone, either to root up all plants of true virtue and honour, or to be contented only with some leaves, and withering formalities of them, without any real fruits, such as tend to the public good, for which princes should always remember they are born, and by Providence designed.

The evidence of which different education the Holy Writ affords us in the contemplation of David and Rehoboam the one prepared by many afflictions for a flourishing kingdom, the other softened by the unparalleled prosperity of Solomon's court, and so corrupted to the great diminution, both for peace, honour, and kingdom, by those flatteries, which are as unseparable from prosperous princes, as flies are from fruit in summer, whom adversity, like cold weather, drives away.

I had rather you should be Charles le Bon, than le Grand; good, than great: I hope God hath designed you to be both, having so early put you into that exercise of his graces and gifts bestowed upon you, which may best weed out all vicious inclinations, and dispose you to those princely endowments and employments which will most gain the love and intend the welfare of those over whom God shall place you.