XXVII. TO THE PRINCE OF WALES.

SONNE, if these papers, with some others, wherein I have set downe the private reflections of My conscience, and My most impartiall thoughts, touching the chiefe passages, which have been most remarkable, or disputed in My late troubles, come to your hands, to whom they are chiefly design'd; they may be so farre usefull to you, as to state your judgement 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 decciving and lessening the injury of My long restraint, when I find My leisure and solitude have produced something worthy of My selfe, and usefull to you; that neither you, nor any other, may hereafter measure My cause by the successe; nor My judgement of things by My misfortunes; which I count the greater by farre, because they have so farre lighted upon you, and some others, whom I have most cause to love as well as My selfe ;

and of whose unmerited sufferings I have a greater sense then of Mine owne.

But this advantage of wisdome you have above most princes; that you have begun, and now spent some yeares of discretion, in the experience of troubles, and exercise of patience, wherein pietie, and all vertues, both morall and politicall, are commonly better planted to a thriving, as trees set in winter, then 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 vertue and honour; or to be contented only with some leaves, and withering formalities of them, without any reall fruits, such as tend to the publique good; for which princes should alwaies 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 kingdome; the other softned by the unparalel'd prosperity of Solomons court; and so corrupted to the great diminution, both for peace, honour, and kingdome, 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, then le Grand, good, then 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.

With God I would have you begin and end, who is King of Kings; the Soveraigne disposer of the kingdomes of the world, who pulleth downe one, and setteth up another.

The best government, and highest sovereignty you can attaine to, is, to be subject to him, that the scepter of his word and Spirit may rule in your heart.

The true glory of princes consists in advancing Gods glory in the maintenance of true religion, and the Churches good; also in the dispensation of civill power, with justice and honour to the publique peace.

Pietie will make you prosperous; at least it

will keep you from being miserable; nor is he much a loser, that loseth all, yet saveth his owne soule at last.

To which center of true happinesse, God (I trust) hath, and will graciously direct all these black lines of affliction, which he hath been pleased to draw on Me, and by which he hath (I hope) drawne Me nearer to himselfe. You have already tasted of that cup whereof I have liberally drank, which I looke upon as Gods physick, having that in healthfulnesse which it wants in pleasure.

Above all, I would have you, as I hope you are already, wel-grounded and setled in your religion: the best profession of which, I have ever esteemed that of the Church of England, in which you have been educated; yet I would have your owne judgement and reason now seal to that sacred bond which education hath written, that it may be judiciously your owne religion, and not other mens custome or tradition, which you professe.

In this I charge you to persevere, as comming nearest to Gods word for doctrine, and to the, primitive examples for government, with some little amendment, which I have otherwhere ex

pressed, and often offered, tho in vain. Your fixation in matters of religion will not be more necessary for your soules then your kingdomes peace, when God shall bring you to them.

For I have observed, that the devill of rebellion, doth commonly turne himselfe into an angel of reformation; and the old serpent can pretend new lights: when some mens consciences accuse them for sedition and faction, they stop its mouth with the name and noise of religion; when pietie pleads for peace and patience, they crie out zeale.

So that, unlesse in this point you be well setled, you shall never want temptations to destroy you and yours, under pretensions of reforming matters of religion; for that seems, even to worst men, as the best and most auspicious beginning of their worst designes.

Where, besides the novelty which is taking enough with the vulgar, every one hath an affectation, by seeming forward to an outward reformation of religion, to be thought zealous; hoping to cover those irreligious deformities, whereto they are conscious, by a severity of censuring other mens opinions or actions.

Take heed of abetting any factions, or apply