Part 43

Pr. It is a great blessing to you, especially considering your change hath been so great and your troubles so lasting.

Wh. Our troubles endured a long time, but, blessed be God, at present we enjoy peace and settlement after our changes. The discourse here is now altogether of the voluntary change like to be in your Highness's country.

Pr. Her Majesty is pleased to take a resolution to resign her government, and I am commanded hither upon that occasion, though altogether unsought for by me.

Wh. You are, Sir, every way worthy of it, and the more for not seeking it; and being the will of God is to bring you to such an increase of power as to the royal dignity, it will turn most to your own and your people's good, to employ your power to the honour of Him that gives it, and to prefer His service by whom kings reign before any other concernments.

Pr. I must acknowledge that throughout the whole course of my life God hath been very good to me, and I am the more engaged to honour Him and to do Him service in any station wherein he shall be pleased to set me.

Wh. Your Royal Highness will be pleased to pardon my freedom of speaking to you what I understand may be most for the honour of God and your service.

Pr. Such discourse is most pleasing to me, especially from a person of such piety and honour as I esteem you to be, and who can have no private ends thereby.

Wh. We have observed in England, and it is so everywhere, that the blessing of God follows those that serve Him.

Pr. That is a true rule; but our service must be in heart, and not in profession or outward show only.

Wh. It is true that the enemies of the Parliament use to reproach them with hypocrisy in their profession of religion and with their preaching to their soldiers; yet that our profession is real doth appear somewhat in this, that the blessing of God hath accompanied our profession and our practice; and when our enemies are in debauchery and injuring the people, our officers and soldiers meet together, exhorting one another out of the Scripture and praying together, and God hath given His blessing thereupon.

Pr. I do very well approve that course, and your profession and practice in matters of religion; but we hear of too much difference of opinion among you in those matters.

Wh. We have indeed too much difference of opinion among us in matters of religion; but yet the public peace is not broken, but carefully preserved.

Pr. But if there be not a uniformity among you in those matters, your peace will be endangered.

Wh. We do not yet find that danger; and we look upon it as a liberty due to all Christians to take what way of worship they think best for the good of their own souls.

Pr. Suppose the way they take be not agreeable to the Word of God?

Wh. The consequence thereof will be their own misery.

Pr. But should not the magistrate lead them and constrain them in the right way?

Wh. We hold the better way to be, by meek exhortations and instructions to endeavour to reclaim them from any error, and not by force to compel men's consciences, as is used in these parts.

Pr. What if mild means will not work upon them?

Wh. They will have the worst of it; but as long as they do not break the public peace, it is hard for the magistrate imperiously to command and force his brethren to worship God after his opinion; and it is not imaginable that he should take more care of men's souls than they themselves, whose consciences ought to be free.

Pr. We are somewhat strict in this point in our country.

Wh. But I have heard that your Royal Highness hath shown moderation, and indulged this liberty, in other countries where you commanded.

Pr. I did not think fit to be so severe in this point in Germany as we are in Sweden.

Wh. I think your Highness did therein according to the mind of God, who will not have a restraint upon His children in the worship of Him; and I hope you will in time take off the severity of your laws here in this particular.

Pr. I am no friend to severity of laws upon men's consciences; but reformation among us is not soon to be brought about, where there hath been a long usage of the contrary.

Wh. In England we have of late obtained great reformation in many things, particularly touching the observation of the Lord's Day; and pardon me, Sir, if I wish the like reformation in this kingdom, and that the Lord's Day were not so much neglected, nay profaned, as I have seen in this place. I hope and humbly advise your Royal Highness that, when God shall place you in the sovereignty over this people, you will take care to provide a remedy and reformation herein, and also of that sin of excessive drinking and swearing with which the people are so much infected, and which may cause a fear lest the anger of God should go forth against this nation; but it will be very much in your power to apply a fit remedy to these evils, and doubtless God will require it at your hands, as his vicegerent.

Pr. I have not heard many soldiers discourse in this strain; but I like it well, and it becomes you; and I hope God will assist me, if He shall call me to the government of this people, to acquit my duty to Him and to His people for the restraining of these sins, which I acknowledge are too common among us.

Wh. In doing so, you will render service to God, and find His blessing to accompany such most pious, most honourable, and truly royal endeavours; and I hope your Highness will not think amiss of this liberty which your servant hath taken, to speak to you of these things.