Chap. IL The H I S T ORY of the PURITANS. 501 " of God and angels, that never king governed with a purer, ftncerer, Kin1Jrózq. amesl. " and more "uncorrupt heart than I have done, far from ill will and mean- " ing of the leaft error and imperfection in my reign. It has been Rapin, " talked of my remiffnefs in maintenance of religion, and fufpicion of P. 567. " a toleration [of popery]; but as God fhall judge me, I never thought " nor meant, nor ever in word expreffed any thing that favoured of it. " I never in all my treaties agreed to any thing to the overthrow and " difannulling of thofe laws, but had in all a chief regard to the pre- " fervation of that truth which I have ever profeffed." The reader will remember how this agrees with the marriage articles above mentioned, . to which the king had fworn. Kin But the parliament taking things as the king had reprefented them, ad- fweg, an- ro their vifed his majefty to break off the match, and to declare war for the reco- petition. very of the Palatinate; and at the fame time petitioned his majeay, that Rapin, all jefs is and feminary priefts might be commanded to depart the realm; P 529. i that the laws might be put in execution againft popifh recufants; that r.}3. all fuch might be removed from court, and ten miles from London. To F which the king made this remarkable anfwer, which mutt ftrike the reader with furprize and wonder, " --What religion I am of my books " declare; I with it may be written in marble, and remain to pofterity " as a mark upon me, when I (hall fwerve from my religion ; for he " that ditfembles with God is not to be trufted with men. I proteft before God, that my heart bath bled when I have heard of the increafe " of popery. God is my judge, it hath been fuch a grief to me, that it " has been as thorns in my eyes, and pricks in my fides: It hathbeen " my defire to hinder the growth of popery ; and I could not be an " honeft man, if I had done otherwife, I will order the laws to " be put in execution againft popith recufants as they were before thefe treaties, for the laws are frill in being, and were never dif -- " penfed with by me; God is my judge, they were never fo intended 40 by me." What folemn appeals to heaven are thefe, againft the cleareft and moft Remarks; undeniable facts! It requires a good degree of charity, to believe this prince had either religion or confcience remaining. For though he affured his parliament, that his heart bled within him when he heard of the in create of popery, yet this very parliament prefented him with a lift of fifty feven popith lords and knightswho were in publickoffices, none of whom were difplaced, while the puritan minìfters were driven out of the king- dom, and hardly a gentleman of that character advanced to the dignityof a juftice of peace. The parliament being prorogued, the king inflead of going heartily French into the war, or marrying his fon to a proteflant princefs, entered Rain, a treaty p. 589.
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