THE MARTYRDOM OF KING CHARLES, Or his conformity with Christ in his sufferings.  
In a Sermon on 1 Cor. 2.8. Preached at Bredah, before his MAJESTY of Great Britain, and the Princess of Orange.  
By the Bishop of Downe. June. 3./ 13. 1649.  PSAL. 2.2. The rulers take Counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed. JOHN 15.20. The Servant is not greater than the Lord, if they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you. 
TERTULLIAN. Christiani nunquam sunt inventi Cassiani, HAGE.  
Printed by Samuel Broun, English Bookeseller, Dwelling in the Achter-om at the Sign of the English Printing house, Anno M.DC.XLIX.   

1. Corin. 2.8. Which none of the Princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory.  
TO clear the passage unto my text, I must first show unto you the coherence of these words with that which goeth before: and if you will be pleased to look back, you will find, that the Apostle in this Chapter doth highly magnify his ministry, by showing the excellency of his doctrine, both for matter and for manner. First, for manner; for his preaching stood not in excellency of speech, ver. 1. not in the entizing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of spirit, and of power, ver. 4. Again, the matter of his doctrine is wisdom, which above all things is to be desired, as may appear by Solomon his choice, and God's approbation of it. And it is not the wisdom of men, but of God, ver. 5. not the wisdom of this world, ver. 6. but the wisdom that is from heaven, as fare above the wisdom of men, as heaven is above earth, God above men. This wisdom is not known by nature; for it is a mystery, ver. 7. We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom. It is hid from the wise and men of understanding, hid from the princes of this world, as he says, ver. 8. Which none of the Princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. So that the text contains a charge against the Princes of this world, wherein consider first, the persons accused, the Princes of this world: then the charge that is brought against them, which hath two parts. 1. They are charged with ignorance of the wisdom of God; Which none of the Princes of this world knew. 2. They are charged with a heinous and horrible murder; They crucified the Lord of Glory. And (which will make up our third point) their ignorance of the wisdom of God, led them to committing of that horrible murder; For had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory. But they did crucify him, and therefore they knew it not. Now I must be brief in expounding of my text, because an other task will take up my time.  
The persons accused are called Princes, and Princes of this world. They are called Princes, because they did excel others in power, rule, and dignity; as namely Pilate who condemned Christ, Herod who consented to the sentence, Annas and Caiphas the high Priests who did prosecute him, and with them the Scribes, Pharisees, and Elders of the Jews, who in Scripture are often called Princes of the people, Princes of the tribes, Princes of the congregation, Princes of Israel, Princes of Judah; because being chief heads of their families, they were above others, in dignity and power: and it is familiar in Scripture to call them Princes, who are in any great authority. But they are not simply called Princes, but princes of this world; because they were wicked Princes: they are called Princes of this world, as the devil is called the God of this world, 2 Cor 4.4. The God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not. And he is called the Prince of this world, often by our Saviour in St. John's gospel: 
joh. 12.31.14.30.16.11.  The Prince of this world is cast out, the Prince of this world is Judged, the Prince of this world is come. And all evil spirits are called Princes of the darkness of this world. Ephes. 6.12. Wicked men are called, men of the world who have their portion in this life, Psalm. 17.14. And the children of this world, in opposition to the children of God; 
Luk. 16.8.  The children of this world are wiser in their generation, than the children of light. And the friends of the world, Jam. 4.4. Whosoever will be a friend of the world, is the enemy of God. They are friends of the world, because they love the world and the things of the world, where as those whom God hath chosen out of the world, those whom he hath translated from the power of darkness unto the kingdom of his dear Son, have their hearts weaned from this world, their affections are set on things that are above. They are not of the world, 
1 joh. 4.4.5. 1 joh. 5.19. joh. 15.8.  but of God. Thus you see that the world for the most part is taken in an evil sense; the world lieth in wickedness, saith St. John, the world hateth me, saith our Saviour, and again, 
joh. 17.9. Gal. 1.4.  I pray not for the world. But especially when it is called this world, in opposition to that world that is to come; Then are we to understand a wicked world, as the Apostle terms it, this present evil world. Now the Apostle here speaketh of the Princes of this world; amongst whom we must not reckon Nicodemus, and Joseph of Arimathea; they were Princes of the people, as well as the rest of the elders, and they were not ignorant of the wisdom of God, nor consenting to the death of Christ: but they are not to be accounted Princes of this world; and the Apostle here speaks only of the Princes of this world, and of them all he says, that they were ignorant of this wisdom, which none of the Princes of this world knew.  
This is the first part of their charge, they are charged with ignorance of heavenly wisdom, or, if you will, ignorance of that glory prepared for us; the relative which may be referred unto both. In the verse before he saith, We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory, then followeth, which none of the Princes of this world knew: that is which wisdom of God none of the Princes of this world knew, or, which glory none of the Princes of this world knew. And indeed they were ignorant of both, as the Apostle proves in the words following: and first ignorant of the glory prepared for us, ver. 9 Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. And as they were ignorant of that glory prepared for us, the knowledge whereof is but a part of heavenly wisdom; so were they altogether ignorant of that wisdom of God, ver. 11, 12, 14. For who knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit that is of God, that we might know the things that are given us of God. But the natural man receiveth not the things of God's spirit, they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are Spiritually discerned. This wisdom is a mystery, ver. 7. and therefore it is not known by nature; but by revelation from God. When St. Peter had made that excellent confession of Jesus, that he is Christ the Son of the Living God, our Saviour said unto him, Blessed art thou Simon: 
Mat. 16.16.17.  for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father. So that all who are endued with this wisdom, are Theodidactoi taught of God, as our Saviour saith, Joh. 6 44. No man can come unto me, except the father draw him. And this he proves out of the Prophets, saying, it is written, they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore, that hath heard, and learned of the father, cometh unto me. As if he had said, no man can come unto me except the father teach him; for all that are taught of God, and only they, come unto me: and therefore no man can come unto me except the father draw him, that is, move him effectually; for indeed Gods teaching is an effectual working; he not only opens the eyes of the understanding, but also convinceth the heart of the truth of his Doctrine, and inclines us to embrace this wisdom. So that a man may be learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, in all the philosophy of the Grecians, he may be as wise as Achitophel, whose counsel was esteemed as the oracle of God; and yet be ignorant of this wisdom, as our Saviour saith, Math. 11.25. I thank thee O father, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Yea, a man may be well learned in the Scriptures, and yet ignorant of this wisdom; the Scribes and Pharisees were doctors of the law, and yet even of them the Apostle says, which none of the Princes of this world knew.  
In the second place he charges them with an heinous and horrible murder, they crucified the Lord of Glory, where every circumstance in the text doth aggravate the murder. 1. The person murdered is the Lord of Glory. 2. The death inflicted on him was crucifixion, the most shameful and accursed death in the World. 3. The persons who did this, were they his own people, who of all others should not have done it, even they crucified the Lord of Glory. The person murdered is the Lord of Glory, our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ. He is the Lord, as we confess in our Creed, by reason of the dominion which he hath over all, and particularly over his church. He is the Lord, by right of creation; For all things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. joh. 1.3. By him were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, etc. Col. 1.16. He is the Lord, by right of inheritance; for he is the heir of all things. Heb. 1.2. He is the Lord by the right of donation; for the father is brought in saying unto him, I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Plalm. 2.8. So he saith, Matth. 28.18. All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. He is the Lord by the right of redemption; for he who redeemeth a captive becomes his Lord, and Christ when we were captives, hath redeemed us, by giving himself a ransom for us: we were redeemed (saith St. Peter) not with silver or gold, or corruptible things, but with the precious blood of Jesus, as of a lamb undefiled. Finally he is our Lord too by the right of conquest; for after that he had redeemed us, by paying a ransom unto God for us, Satan the Jailor would not let us go, but kept us fast bound in the fetters of sin; and therefore he is fall'n to come with a mighty hand, and outstretched arm, and violently take us out of his gripes: He is the stronger man mentioned in the gospel, who hath overcome the strong man, taken his armour from him, 
Col. 2.15.  and divided the spoil. He hath spoiled principalities and powers, triumphing over them. And as he is the Lord, so the Lord of Glory, that is, a glorious Lord, by an Hebraeisme. He is called the King of Glory, Plal. 24.7. Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of Glory shall come in. And the God of Glory, by St. Steven. Act. 7.2. The God of Glory appeared to our father Abraham. And here, as also jam. 2.1. He is called the Lord of Glory. Glory properly signifies beauty, praise, honour; and it is ordinarily used in scripture, to express that Majesty and perfection of bliss, which God enjoys from all eternity, and which in some measure he communicates unto his blessed Angels, and Saints in heaven. Now well may our Saviour be called the Lord of Glory, because he is the brightness of God's Glory, and the express image of his person. Heb. 1.3. He did enjoy Glory with the Father from all eternity, as he says, joh. 17.5. And now O father, glorify thou me, with thine own self, with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. And again he prayeth for his Disciples, saying, ver. 24. Father, I will that they whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory. And as he enjoyed glory with the father from all eternity; so after a short eclipse of that glory here on earth, and after he had overcome the sharpness of death, he was received up into glory. 1 Tim. 3.16. He is crowned with glory and honour. Heb. 2.9. And he tells us that at the last day, he shall come in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. 
Mat. 24.30.25.31.  Then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory. Finally he is called the Lord of glory, because he is the author of glory unto others: for saith the Apostle, when Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Coloss. 3.4. He gives unto his servants eternal life, which in scripture is called glory, a Kingdom of glory, a crown of glory, an eternal weight of glory.  
This is the person who was murdered, and therefore the murder was most heinous; For if it be a greater sin, for a man to murder his father, than to kill a stranger; to murder the King, than to kill a fellow subject; to murder an innocent person, then to kill a malefactor; Then how heinous a murder was it, to kill him who was more than all these, even our everlasting father, the King of Kings, and Lord of glory, and withal a person so innocent, that no guile was found in his mouth, none could convince him of sin? 
Heb. 7.26.  he was holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens: And yet this was done; they crucified the Lord of glory. But here you may say unto me: how could the Lord of Glory be crucified? seeing he is God, and God is impassable, he cannot suffer. For answer, you shall understand, that there is so strait an union and conjunction between the two natures of Christ, in one person, that that which is proper only to the one nature, is vouched, not (as some foolishly imagine) of the other nature; but, it is vouched of the person being denominated from the other nature. This kind of speech is by the fathers called koinonia idiomatôn, a communication of properties. And it is a plain Synecdoche, very usual in speech, whereby that which is proper only to the part, is praedicate of the whole. We have divers instances of it in Scripture. Acts. 3.15. Ye killed the prince of life. Christ was killed only as man, and yet, because the same man was also God, he says, ye killed the prince of life. Acts. 20.28. Feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. Christ had blood only as he was man; but because the same man was also God, his blood is called, the blood of God. john. 3.13. No man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, the son of man which is in heaven. Christ descended from heaven, only in respect of his divine nature, and he was in heaven at that time, when he was speaking unto Nicodemus here on the earth, only as he was God, and yet because the same person was also man, he saith, the Son of man which is in heaven. So here, Christ was crucified only as he was man, and yet because the same man was also God, the Apostle says, they crucified the Lord of glory.  
And so I come unto the second circumstance, the kind of death that he suffered: it was crucifixion, the most shameful and ignominious death in the world. The Apostle mentions scandolum crucis: the offence of the cross. Galat. 5.11. and the shame of the cross too. Hebr. 12. ●. There is more shame in it than in any other death, and therefore the Heathen termed the cross, arborem infoelicem, and stipitem infamem; a wretched infamous tree. This death was so infamous, that the Romans did not inflict it upon any, but only such as were esteemed base rogues, and notorious malefactors. And therefore we find in the Ecclesiastical History, that albeit St. Paul suffered martyrdom at Rome, as well as St. Peter, yet they could not crucify St. Paul: he being a Roman, had the privilege of a gentleman, and was beheaded; but Peter being but a fisherman by his trade, was esteemed a base fellow, and so crucified as was his Master. That which made this death more shameful and ignominious, was, because all that were crucified, were first scourged before they were crucified, and that was peculiar to this death of the cross. Now for a man to be scourged, is a foul disgrace, a vile and servile punishment, not to be offered unto any but unto bondslaves: and therefore he in the comedy says in great disdain, loris? liber sum: he took it in great scorn, the whip should be once named unto him who was free borne. And yet our Saviour being to be crucified, was first scourged. And as this was a shameful, servile, and ignominious death; so was it a most execrable and cursed death; for says the Apostle, it is written, cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree, Gal. 3.13. It was not only esteemed so by men, but it was so indeed, being accursed by the mouth of God himself; for it is said, Deut. 21.23. He that is hanged is cursed of God. And therefore Christ suffering this death, the Apostle says, that he was factus maledictum, made a curse for us. And as this death was an ignominious and accursed death; so also a most painful death. First, his flesh was torn with whips: They ploughed on his back (saith the Psalmist) and made long furrows on it. Then his hands and his feet were bored with the nails, and the hands and feet of all other parts are most sensible, by reason of the texture of all the sinews there. And being thus nailed unto the tree, his whole body was stretched out on the cross, as on a rack, till all his bones were out of joint, as was foretold by the Psalmist. This stretching was such, that it made his very ribs and bones, break through the flesh and the skin, which must needs be a pain out of measure painful. Therefore the heathen termed the cross, cruciabile lignum, a tree of torture; and most sharp and bitter pains, have their name from the cross, being called cruciatus. Christ was no less than six hours in this torment; even from the third hour, until the ninth, and all that while in perfect sense; for it is said, he cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. He did not cry with the faint voice of a dying man, but with a loud voice, to show that his 〈◊〉 strength was not one whit abated. This death was devised for our Saviour, not so much by Pilate and the Soldiers, as by the Jews; for they cried out, crucify him, crucify him. 
joh. 18.31▪  When Pilate said unto them, take ye him, and judge him according to your law: they answered, it is not lawful for us to put any man to death. And this came to pass, saith the Evangelist, that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spoke, signifying what death he should die. Now what was that which he spoke signifying what death he should die? we find it Matth. 20.19. The son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief Priests, and to the Scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles, to mock and to scourge, and to crucify him. Thus they put off his trial from themselves, unto the Roman Governor, of purpose, that he might suffer that Roman death. At first they condemned him of blasphemy, and then he should have been stoned; but that death seemed too mild, for it would have dispatched him quickly: Therefore they indite him a new of treason, for speaking against Caesar, that so he might suffer the death of a traitor, even that ignominious, accursed, and painful death of the cross. No less could satisfy their malice.  
And who were they that did all this? even his own people, they who were his brethren, and kinsmen according to the flesh, they crucified the Lard of glory; they unto whom he came, and for whom he came, for he was sent unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel; they amongst whom he had preached the word of life, for it behoved the Gospel first to be preached unto them; They among whom he had wrought many miracles, and unto whom he had done many good works; even they were such unthankful traitors, that they crucified the Lord of glory.  
In the last place, the Apostle tells us, that their ignorance of the wisdom of god, led them to the committing of that horrible murder: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But here ye may say unto me, did these malicious jews sin only out of ignorance, as did Paul in persecuting the Church? O no; they sinned out of malice, against knowledge and conscience; for they knew that jesus was a good and just man, and had given him that testimony, that he had done all things well; they knew that he was a great Prophet, a teacher come from God; they were in some sort too covinced that he was the Christ, 
Mark. 7.37. joh. 3.2.  for joh. 11.47. they held a council against him, saying, what shall we do? this man doth many miracles, if we let him alone, all men will believe on him, namely, that he is the Christ. Where ye may behold them fight against the light of their own knowledge, wherewith our Saviour expressly charges them, joh. 7.28. Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am, and joh. 15.24. Now have they both seen and hated both me and my father. This appeareth further by that which is said in the parable of the householder, Matth. 21.31. A certain householder planted a vineyard, and let it out to husbandmen, and went unto a fare country. And when the time of the fruits came, he sent his servants to receive them; and the husbandmen took his servants, beat them and killed them: again he sent other servants, and they did unto them likewise. Last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, they will reverence my son. But when the husbandmen saw him, they said, this is the heir, come let us kill him, and cease on his inheritance. And saith the Evangelist ver. 45. when the chief Priests and the Pharisees heard this parable, they perceived that he spoke of them. So that they had some knowledge of Christ: but it was not the true knowledge; they were not endued with heavenly wisdom, nor taught of God; for their heart did stand out against the light which did shine on their understanding, and (as Solomon saith) They hated knowledge, and, did not choose the fear of the Lord. 
Prov. 1.29.  Therefore saith our Saviour unto them, ye neither know me, nor my father, joh. 8.19. So that even sins of malice committed against knowledge and conscience, yet are accompanied with some kind of ignorance. This is clear in the crucifying of Christ, for they knew that it was evil to kill him that was innocent and just; but this knowledge was only habitual and general, they did not actually know that it was evil, at the instant when they did it, or they did not consider it; or though they knew that it was evil, yet they did not know, that that evil was not to be done, for the obtaining of a greater good which they proposed to themselves, namely, the retaining of their places and dignities, which they feared to lose if he were acknowledged for the Messiah. Thus it holds true that the Philosopher said, omnis malus ignorans, there is some ignorance in every sin; for seeing the will cannot possibly affect evil, as it is evil, but that the same is still presented unto it, under the mask of good, it followeth necessarily, that every one that sinneth, is some way ignorant of good and evil. For which cause Solomon says, nun errand omnes? 
Prov. 14.22. Psalm. 14.4. Psalm. 53.4.  do they not all err that work iniquity? And David oftener than once in the Psalms saith, have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? Indeed they have no true knowledge. And therefore howsoever some have commended ignorances' as the mother of devotion, I may say more truly, that is the mother of error; our Saviour said so much to the Saducees, Matth. 22.29. Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures. It is the mother of Idolatry, Galat. 4.8. When ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no Gods. It is the mother of pride and arrogance, Rom. 10.3. Being ignorant of the righteousness of God, they went about to establish their own righteousness. It is the mother of lust, Thess. 4.5. The Gentiles which know not God, walk in the lust of concupiscence. Finally, it is the mother of all sin, Ephes. 4.18. Having their understanding darkened, through the ignorance that is in them: and being past feeling, they gave themselves over unto lasciviousness; to work all uncleanness with greediness. And on the other part, all grace is from the true knowledge of God, 2 Pet. 1.2. Grace and peace be multiplied unto you, through the knowledge of God, and of jesus our Lord. As this knowledge brings grace and peace, so it brings glory; for saith our Saviour, This is life eternal, to know thee the only true God, and jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. 
joh. 17.3  This knowledge is the wisdom of God, which the Apostle here magnifies so much, Which none of the Princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.  
I Have now done with my text, but not with the Princes of this world; for I am to present unto you another sad tragedy, so like unto the former that it may seem but vetus fabula per novos histriones, the stage only changed, and new actors entered upon it, other Princes of this world, yea, of the darkness of this world, Fare worse than then Pilate, the high Priests, Scribes, and Pharisees, who have lately murdered, (if not the Lord of glory, yet I am sure) a glorious Lord, though not Christ the Lord; yet the Lords Christ, God's anointed. This is a parricide so heinous, so horrible, that it cannot be paralled by all the murders that ever were committed since the world began, but only in the murder of Christ. And indeed the providence of God gave me first occasion to institute this parallel: for that day that our gracious Sovereign was murdered, being the 30. of January, a day for ever to be noted with a black coal, as his Majesty was at divine service, before he was led forth unto the scaffold, the chapter that was read unto him, was the seven and twentieth of St. Matthews gospel, which contains the passion of Christ; and that chapter was read not by choice▪ but by the direction of the rubric, it being the lesson appointed for that day, so that we could not but conceive, that the murder then to be acted, was like unto that which in the chapter is described. And indeed you will find it very like unto it, if you will but consider the three circumstances which I before observed in my text, the dignity of the person murdered, the kind of death that he suffered, and the quality of the murderers.  
The person that was now murdered, was not the Lord of glory, but a glorious Lord, Christ's own Vicar: his lieutenant and vicegerent here on earth, within his dominions. And therefore by all laws, divine, and humane, he was privileged from any punishment that could be inflicted by men. Albeit he was as inferior to Christ, as man is unto God; the creature, unto the immortal Creator; yet was his privilege of inviolability fare more clear than was Christ's. For Christ was not a temporal Prince, his Kingdom was not of this world, and therefore when he vouchsafed to come into the world, and to become the son of man, he did subject himself unto the law; he who only could choose when to be borne, made choice to be borne at that time when there was a decree for taxing all the world; that so soon as he was borne, he might be enrolled a subject unto Caesar: 
Luc. 2.1.  he lived as a subject, paid tribute unto Caesar; he submitted unto Pilat's jurisdiction, acknowledging that he had power given him from above. But our gracious Sovereign was well known to be a temporal Prince, 
●oh. 19.11.  a free Monarch, and their undoubted Sovereign, to whom they did allow, and had sworn allegience; and therefore he could not be judged by any power on earth. He disclaimed their authority, as he well might; for they had no power at all over any, much less over him: and what power they usurped was not the supper, as Pilat's, but de subter, from beneath, even from the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name is Abaddon; For as he seeks the destruction of all men, so especially of Kings, because by their government, peace is preserved, justice executed, and religion maintained. But from above they had no power: for God never gave unto the people power over their King; as is evident by Scripture, by the law of nature and nations, by the known laws of England, by clear and undeniable reasons, and by the constant doctrine and practice of the true, ancient, and Catholic Church; as were easy for me to show, if time would permit. And yet those monstrous traitors, have sacrilegiously invaded God's throne, and usurped his office, whose peculiar it is to be Judge of Kings, and so have ventured to try, judge, condemn, and execute their King, in despite of all law, reason, religion, nature, and God himself. As it is in the parable of Jotham, they have advanced the bramble, above the cedar of Lebanus, while they set the people, even the basest of the people, on the bench, and placed the King a prisoner at the bar. So they have overthrown the order of God and nature, dissolved the bands of humane society, bringing in a mere confusion, and dissipation of all things.  
This was such a thing, as hath not been known since the world began: Pilate knew by the light of nature, 
joh. 19.15.  that a King is not to b● put to death; therefore he said unto the Jews, Shall I crucify your King? As if he had said, if Jesus be a King, he is not to be put to death; but it is said he is your King, and shall I then do such an act against the law of nature and nations? And the chief priests, as impudent and malicious as they were, they did not deny the proposition, that a King is not to be put to death; but they denied the assumption, that Jesus was their King, saying, we have no King but Caesar. But these murderers are worse than the jews, for they confessed him to be their King, and yet took upon them, to judge, condemn, and put him to death. And as they are worse than jews, so they are worse than Pagan's: for Tully pleading before Caesar, for Diotarus King of Galatia, albeit he was but a tributary King, yet he doth challenge that privilege unto him, saying, ita inusitatum est, Regem capitis reum esse, ut ante hoc tempus sit inauditum. For a King to be guilty of death, is such a thing as hath not been heard of. And as they are worse than jews and Pagans, so they are even worse than devils; for the devils never rise up against their prince, though he be as bad as can be: but the Puritans rage against their King, be he never so good, as indeed our gracious Sovereign was the best of Kings. Never was there yet any prince that sat upon a throne, who was beyond him for piety and prudence, for all heroical and christian graces. But here I dare not venture to praise him, lest coming short, I may seem to wrong him; that is a theme fit for the tongues of Angels, than of men; and therefore as Apelles did, so will I, draw a veil over that which I am not able to express, and desire all men to judge what he was, by his divine meditations; of which book I hare boldly say, that since the spirit of prophecy ceased, never yet was there any book written, with so great strength of reason, depth of judgement, height of devotion, and elegancy of stile, as that golden Manual. That will tell you what we have lost, and how heinous the murder was. As he was the Lord, and their Lord, he had no superior on earth, and so could not be tried; as he was a glorious and gracious Lord, he ought not to have been condemned. As Christ was above the law, being the son of God; so was he above the censure of humane laws, he being a King. As Christ was most innocent, there was no guile or guilt found in him; so was he innocent of all the crimes objected against him. As he was a King, he did represent God's person here on earth; and as he was a good King, full of grace; he was a most lively image of Christ, so lively an image of him, that amongst all the Martyrs, who followed Christ unto heaven bearing his cross, never was there any, who expressed so great conformity with our Saviour in his sufferings, as he did.  
And this will further appear by the second circumstance in my text, the kind of death that he suffered, which was not the death of the cross, but aequivolent unto it, for two things were in the cross which made it so odious, pain, and shame; the Apostle joins them together, 
Heb. 12.2.  Jesus endured the cross, despising the shame. Our Sovereign suffered both, I begin with the pain. Indeed Christ's cross began at his cratch; for no sooner was he borne, than persecuted by Herod; and his whole life afterwards was a perpetual gainsaying of sinners: 
Vers. 3.  So I may say of our Sovereign, that the ten last years of his life, was such a gainsaying of sinners; all that time he fought with beasts, even with unreasonable men, who were resolved to be satisfied with nothing, but with the utter destruction of him and his. To bring that to pass, first of all they did asperse him with many foul and false calumnies, against their own knowledge and conscience, only to render him odious unto his people; they slandered the footsteps of Gods anointed; their tongues, and their pens too, were sharper than swords, piercing deep into his soul: many scandalous pamphlets were every day cast abroad, which (as he says in his book) like sparks in great conflagrations, did fly up and down to set all places on fire. From every pulpit was sounded a trumpet to rebellion, the Ambassadors of peace being made the heralds of war. And as our Saviour by the pharisees was called an impostor, a deceiver and perverter of the people, a blasphemer, a Samaritan, and one that had a devil: So, such language, and worse too, was bestowed upon his Sacred Majesty, by a pharisaical brood of men, who are great pretenders to religion, but utterly void of it. They have a show of godliness, but have denied the power thereof. 
joh. 8.59.  When our Saviour was at jerusalem, the pharisees stirred up the people to stone him, whereupon he withdrew himself: so when the King was at Westminster, tumults were raised, stones and blasphemies cast out against him, that he was feign to remove from thence, and then they cried out against him, for deserting his Parliament, though it was the thing they most desired, and they knew very well that he would have been glad to be with his Parliament, as he often offered, if he could have been there with any safety. Being thus forced to retire from London, they seized all his houses and furniture, forts, magazines, ships, and revenues; they hunted him like a partridge, from mountain to mountain, that he might have justly taken up the complaint of our Saviour, 
Mat. 8.20.  that The foxes had holes, and the birds of the air had nests, but himself had not where to lay his head. When our Saviour had withdrawn himself from jerusalem, The Chief Priests and the Pharisees gave a commandment, 
joh. 11.57.  that if any man knew where he were, he should show it, that they might take him: So upon his Majesty's flight, such a commandment was given, a more cruel and bloody ordinance was made, that whosoever should harbour or conceal the King's person, or did know where he was harboured, unless he did immediately reveal it, should forfeit his estate, and die without mercy as a traitor.  
As our Saviour was rejected of his own people, 
joh. 1.11.  He came unto his own and they received him not: So was our Sovereign rejected by his own people; they would not own him for their King; but disclaimed his authority, and yielded their service unto his enemies; and as the jews denied the holy one, and the just, and desired a murderer to be granted to them: 
Act. 3.14.  So they denied their holy and righteous King, and desired the Parliament might rule over them: in this they preferred robbers and murderers worse than Barabas, choosing rather to live in bondage, under their Iron yoke; than to enjoy the liberty of subjects, under the peaceable government of a most gracious King. As our saviour was rejected by his own people, so was he forsaken of his own Disciples; when the time came that he was to make his soul an offering for sin, than one of his own Disciples betrayed him, an other denied him, all forsook him, 
Isa. 63.6.  and left him to tread the winepress alone: So when our Sovereign's afflictions grew great, some of his servants betrayed him like judas, others denied him, and almost all forsook him; albeit they had got well by him, yet they were loath to suffer with him. And which was yet much worse, he was forceably deprived of the comfort of his dearest wife, his most sweet and beloved children, and for a long time had none to converse with, but beasts more savage, than those which did company with our Saviour in the wilderness. When Christ was on the cross, one of the thiefs who was crucified with him railed on him, because he did not relieve them: so when our Sovereign was at Oxford, some who suffered with him, upbraided him, and added grief to his afflicted soul, even railing on him, because he did not help them, when indeed he could not. As our Saviour was tempted: so was our Sovereign, tempted to distrust, to perjury, to sacrilege, to atheism; tempted to deny God, by forsaking his religion, and destroying the church, which his righteous soul abhorred. As the devil made great proffers unto Christ, of all the Kingdoms of the world, saying, All these will I give thee, 
Mat. 4 9  if thou wilt fall down and worship me: So great proffers were made unto our Sovereign, that they would make him a glorious King, if he would humble himself unto his Parliament, and worship the Idol which they had set up. Besides, his soul was daily tortured with reiterated unreasonable propositions, and insolent demands, as absurd as those which the devil made unto Christ.  
The enemies of our Saviour sought how they might take him by craft and put him to death. Much more craft and deceit too, was used to catch our Sovereign in their pit. 
Mark. 14.1.  As when Christ was at jerusalem, the Pharisees not daring then to lay hands on him, because they feared the people; sought to fright him with Herod, Saying unto him, get thee out, 
Luk. 13.31.  and departed hence, for Herod will kill thee: when it was they themselves that intended to kill him: So when his Majesty was at Hampton Court, his enemies perceiving, that the hearts of the people were so turned towards him, that it was not safe to lay violent hands on him; they did cunningly suggest fears unto him, that there was a plot to kill him, and so they made him fly into the snare which they had laid for him in the I'll of Wight, where they thought that Rolph should have dispatched him by poison or poinard; but that being discovered, they resolved to do it in a more public way. Our saviour was apprehended at night: 
Mat. 26.51.  so was our Sovereign in a dark cold winter night, taken out of his bed in the I'll of Wight, and carried unto Hurst Castle. 
Mat. 25.59.  They sought false witness against our Saviour: so did they against our Sovereign; for open proclamation was made with sound of trumpet, that all who could inform against the King, should come to the painted chamber, and give in their evidence: and what was it they intended to prove? even that he had done that whereof they themselves only were guilty, in raising arms and making a war in the Kingdom. The people being suborned by the Priests, cried against our Saviour, Away with him, 
John 19.15.  crucify him: so some of the soldiers were suborned, and hired to cry against our Sovereign, Justice, Execution. Our Saviour was mocked, They wagged their heads at him: so our Sovereign had the trial of cruel mockings. Christ was reviled: so was our Sovereign reviled by his enemies, especially their false Prophets: 
Matth. 27.29, 39, 41.  Hugh Peter instead of comfort, did reach Gall and Vinegar unto Gods anointed, in the agony of his sufferings, as the Jews formerly had done unto Christ. Our Saviour was spit on: so was our Sovereign; 
Matth. 27.30. John 18.12.  Bradshaw and Cook did spit out the froth of their ulcerous lungs against him to his face, and a barbarous soldier did really spit in his face. Our Saviour was bound: so there was as intent to have bound our Sovereign, as himself observed on the Scaffold, by the rings which were fastened to the block. Our Saviour was watched the night before he suffered; for he was apprehended at night in the Garden and carried away unto the High Priests house, where he was haited all night: in the morning sent to Pilate, from him to Herod, then back again to the common Judgement hall, where he was condemned, and at the third hour led forth to be crucified. But our Sovereign was watched many nights before he suffered; for all the time of his trial, his chamber was filled with barbarous soldiers, who deprived him of his rest, and of all manner of privacy, which was more bitter unto him then death. At last our Saviour suffered death: so did our Sovereign, at the very same hour of the day; for our Saviour gave up the ghost at the ninth hour, which is our three of the clock in the afternoon: the same hour put a period to our Sovereign's life, and to the happiness of three Kingdoms.  
I have now taken a brief view of the pain: in the next place, consider the shame, and then you will see a perfect cross. What greater shame and disgrace could be offered unto a King, then instead of a Royal train, a guard fitting the Majesty of his person; to be watched and warded, and dragged from place to place, by the common soldiers, the most rude and barbarous of all the people. But in this he was like unto his Saviour also. 
Matth. 26.25.  They came against him as against a thief, with swords and slaves. As our Saviour was hurried from place to place from Annas to Caiphas, from him to Pilate, from Pilat to Herod, and thence back to Pilate, to the common Judgement hall: so was our Sovereign hurried from the Isle of Wight to Hurst castle, from thence to Windsor, from Windsor to St. James, from thence to Westminster to the common Judgement hall, to be tried as a malefactor at the Bar, where no prisoner was ever tried, but in the King's name, and by his authority, for that Hall was never invested with any power of judicature, without the King, much less against him: but (as he says in his Book) They thought fit to add the mockery of justice, to the cruelty of malice (as they who crucified Christ) that so they might destroy him with the greater pomp. They pretended justice and religion to cover their perjury and parricide, and so did establish iniquity by a Law, and father their sin upon God, who is the author of justice. And as his trial was public, and disgraceful, so was his execution: it hath been a custom to hang notorious traitors before their own doors for their greater shame: so did they put our Sovereign to death, in a most insulting manner, on an open scaffold, erected before his Royal Palace, as if they meant to bid a defiance both to God and men. Now join these together, and tell me if ever any man might more justly than he, take up that complaint which was uttered in the person of our Saviour, by the Spirit of Prophecy, 
Lam. 1.12.  Behold and consider all ye that pass by, if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow.  
Let us now see how he did bear this: even as his Saviour had done, 
Hebr. 12.2.  Who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame. He contemned an earthly Crown, for the assured hope he had of an immortal Crown, that fadeth not away: and so like his Saviour; when he was reviled, he reviled not again; but was led as a sheep unto the slaughter, 
Luc. 23.34.  and opened not his mouth. As Christ prayed for them that crucified him: so did our Sovereign pour out many devout prayers for his enemies, which might serve to melt their hearts, if they were not harder than the nether mill stone. As Christ wept over Jerusalem: so did our Sovereign weep over his three Kingdoms, 
Luc. 19 41.  being more sorry for the miseries that are to come upon them, 
Luc. 23.74. Vers. 28.  then for all that hath happened unto himself. As women beholding Christ's passion wept: so many women beholding their Sovereign on a Scaffold, wept bitterly, unto whom he might have said, as our Saviour did unto the other, Weep not for me, ye● daughters of Jerusalem, 
Eph. 5.25.  but weep for yourselves. Christ gave himself for the Church: he died for the people: so our Sovereign, in another sense, gave himself for the Church, and died for his people; for he might have saved his life, if he would have consented to destroy the Church, and enslave his people. So that (as he said on the Scaffold) he was the martyr of the people, 
Matth. 26.39.  martyred by them, and for them. When our Saviour's agony began, he prayed unto his father, that that Cup might pass from him; 
Hebr. 5 7.  but with a submission to his will. He offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears, unto him that was able to save him from death. So was our Sovereign frequent and instant in prayer unto God; but as for removing the bitter cup he was to drink, he prayed only with a submis●●●● unto the will of his heavenly father. 
Luke 22.48.  When our Saviour was in his agony, There appeared an Angel unto him from Heaven strengthening him: so almighty God did from above minister abundance of comfort unto our Sovereign; otherways it had not been possible for him to have endured his cross with such cheerful patience as he did. When Christ was apprehended, he wrought a miraculous cure for an enemy, healing Malcus his ear, 
Luke 22.53.  after it was cut off▪ so it is well known that God enabled our Sovereign, when he was in prison to work many wonderful cures, even for his enemies, and yet all that could not move these hardhearted Jews, who sought his life: he might have said unto them, as our Saviour did unto the other, Many good works have I shown you, 
John 10.32. Matth. 27.52.  for which of them do you persecute me? When our Saviour suffered, there were terrible signs and wonders; for there was darkness over all the Land, the earth did shake, the Rocks clavae asunder, the veil of the Temple was rend, and the graves were opened: so during the time of our Sovereign's trial, there were strange signs seen in the sky, in divers places of the Kingdom; and it was thought very prodigious, that when he suffered the Ducks forsook their pond at St. James, and came as far as Whitehall, fluttering about the Scaffold: so that our Sovereign might have said unto his murderers, as it is in Job 12.7. Ask the beasts and they will tell thee, and the fowls of the Heaven, 
Matth. 27.54. Thomlinson.  and they will instruct thee: what an unnatural murder ye are now committing. When our Saviour suffered, the Centurion beholding his passion was convinced that he was the Son of God, and feared greatly: so one of the Centurions who guarded our Sovereign, beholding his most Christian, pious, and magnanimous carriage, was convinced, and is to this day stricken with great fear, horror, and astonishment. When they had crucified our Saviour; 
John 19.23.  they parted his garments amongst them, and for his coat, because, being without seam, it could not easily be divided, they did cast lots: even so having crucified our Sovereign, they have parted his garments amongst them, his Houses and Furniture, his Parks and Revenues, his three Kingdoms; and for Ireland, because it will not easily be gained they have cast lots, who should go thither to conquer it, and so take it to themselves. In all these things our Sovereign was the lively Image of our Saviour.  
NOw if your patience will go along with me while I consider the third circumstance in the Text, the quality of the murderers, their you will find the parallel to hold also; Our Saviour was crucified by his own Nation: They crucified the Lord of Glory. They who were his brethren and kindsmen, according to the flesh. 
John 18.35.  So Pilate told him, Thine own Nation have delivered thee unto me. More particularly the great Council consulted against him, hired Judas to betray him, sent Soldiers to apprehend him, falsely accused and injustly condemned him. The great Council was their high court of Sanhedrim, which was their standing Parliament. In it were many members of divers Callings and Professions: some Priests and chief Priests; some Elders, and those lay-Elders; for as there was a Parliament against Christ, so also a Presbytery: some Scribes and Lawyers, who were Chair-men, for they sat in Moses Chair. They drew also into this conspiracy against Christ wicked Herodians, whom otherwise those precise Jews could not endure. And were they not such who murdered our Sovereign? His own Nation, his great Council the Parliament, the Presbytery, some Priests, (but they are Jeroboams Priests of the basest of the people) some Scribes and Lawyers. And they drew into that combination too, wicked Herodians, that is, dissembling Courtiers, and profane Ruffians; and as pure as they would seem to be, yet were they content to endure all their God dammees to gain their assistances for to damn and condemn their Sovereign.  
As Christ's Enemies were of divers professions, so also of divers Sects and Religions, some Pharisees, some Saducees; and those were very opposite one against the other, yet both joined together against Christ: To crucify him even Herod and Pilate were made friends: 
Act. 4.27.  For (as the Apostles say) against thine holy Son Jesus, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and people of Israel were gathered together. So the enemies of our Sovereign were of divers Sects and Religions, some Papists, some Presbyterians, some Independents; And though they be at odds enough between themselves, their heads are as fare asunder as Sampsons' Foxes, yet being linked by the tails, they banded against the Lord, and against his anointed. The Papist may seem to have little hand in that murder, yet they contributed very much unto it: For they raised a most horrid and bloody Rebellion in Ireland, and most falsely pretended the King's commission for it, whereby they enraged his other Subjects against him; they weakened his Forces there: destroying many who would have assisted their Sovereign, and keeping others so busy that they could not come to his relief; they promised him great aid, but when he depended upon it, they utterly failed him. The Presbyterians are deeply imbrued with his blood: for they assaulted him both in England and Scotland, deprived him of all power and means, declared him unworthy to reign, and so weakened him, that it was an easy matter for the Independants, who are drunk with his blood, for to kill him. The Presbyterians framed both the Major and Minor Propositions, and the Independants, drew out the conclusion: for thus the Presbyterians both preached and published; a tyrant is to be opposed and destroyed: but the King is a Tyrant. Then comes the Independants and draw forth the conclusion which naturally follows from the premises: Ergo let him be destroyed. Or to use their own distinction which they have so much abused; the Presbyterians murdered the King in his political capacity, the Independants in his natural capacity. Thus our Sovereign, as well as our Saviour was crucified between two thiefs, but neither of them a good thief. These two factions (as his Majesty well expresses it in his Book) Are the twins which lately one womb enclosed, the younger striving to prevail against the elder; what the Presbyterians have hunted after, the Jndependants seek to catch for themselves. And indeed they have taken the prey out of their mouths: They who at first were but journey men unto the other, have now set up for themselves.  
Albeit these be the chief murderers: there be many others who though (as himself saith) Their hands are not embrued in his blood by acting and consenting to his death, yet they are sprinkled with his blood by deserting him. Even all those who had power and means, and did not use them for his defence. 
Seneca.  For Non caret scrupulo occultae societatis qui manifesto discrimini non occurrit. By the Law of nature and Nations, all subjects are bound to defend their King's Person, Crown, and dignity. Our Saviour said unto Pilate: If my Kingdom were of this world, 
Joh. 18.36.  then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the jews. Where he insinuates that the servants and subjects, of an earthly King, are bound to fight for his defence: And therefore all those who did not aid him according to their power, have incurred the curse of Meroz. Judge: 5.23. Curse ye Meroz (said the Angel of the Lord) curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof: because they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty. Besides these neutrals, who because they were not for the King, were against him, there are many who fought for their soveragin, who have yet by their sins fought against him: their debauched carriage gave much advantage to his enemies, & provoked God to forsake their armies: by their rapine and plunder they did alienate the hearts of the people from their Sovereign, and by their strifes and emulations, they lost the Kingdom and that gracious King: there was a strife amongst Christ's followers which of them should be the greatest; but the strife that was among the King's followers for places and preferments, was fare more hurtful and pernicious. Yea, as all of us were in some sort, 
Rom. 4.25.  guilty of Christ's blood; for our sins were the meritorious and procuring cause of his death: He was delivered to death for our offences. So the sins of every one of us hath added force unto this great stroke and wound given unto these Kingdoms in his Majesty's death. As the good King Josiah was taken away by a violent death, for the sins of judah, that God might the more freely pour out the fiercnesse of his wrath: so was our Gracious Sovereign taken away for the punishment of our sins, that the iniquities of these sinful nations being now finished and come to an height by an horrible rebellion and particide, he might pour out the viols of his wrath upon them, there being now nothing to hinder the stroke of his vengeance, when he is taken away, yea made away by themselves, who like Moses stood in the gap, between the sins of his people, and Gods judgements. So that we may all of us take up that lamentation, 
Lam. 5.16.  which the Church made for the death of josiah: The Crownt is fallen from our head; woe unto us that we have sinned  
But howsoever our Saviour had many enemies, yet his most violent adversaries were the Pharisees, and if you will but observe how they are described unto us in the Gospel, Ill all not need to make any application. The Pharisees were the most strict and precise sect of the Jews, 
Matth. 6.16.  the Puritans of that age, they were men of a sad countenance and great austerity; they did bow down their heads like a Bulrush, when as their inward parts burnt altogether with deceit: they were outwardly (though hypocritically) holy Whited sepulchres beautiful without, and within full of uncleanness. Great pretenders they were to religion, and desired to be accounted more pure than others, 
Matth. 23.27.  the only saints upon earth, and so did separate from the rest of the Church, and from thence were they called Pharisees. 
Matth. 6.5.7. Matth. 23.14.12.2. Luke 11.45.46.  They pretended (especially such of that sect as were Scribs) great knowledge of the Scriptures, and revelations of the Spirit: they were much for preaching, made long prayers, and that openly, to be seen of men, used vain repetitions: Under colour of long prayers they devoured widows houses. They were superstitiously zealous of keeping the Sabbath, but great profaners of the temple; they made God's house a house of merchandise, and Den of thiefs, for which they were sharply reproved by our Saviour, as they often quarrelled him for breaking the Sabbath Whereas the fift commandment enjoins us to honour our Father, not only our natural Father, 
Mark. 7.11.  but also our civil father, who is Parens Patriae: they made this commandment void by their Corban, that is a gift where by God's cause, or rather their own ends is advanced. They did draw the people after them, who were so much addicted unto them, that they would not believe nor follow any without their allowance; for that is the rule they gave to the people, 
joh. 7.28.  Have any of the Pharisees believed on him? And indeed their faction was so popular, that (as I●●ephus testifieth) they governed not only Jerusalem, but all Judea too. They did bind heavy burdens upon other men's shoulders, 
Matth. 23.4. Vers. 6. Verse 23.  which themselves did not bear, and so they made the way to heaven straight to others, and wide to themselves. They were invited to feasts, and loved to sit at the head of the Table. They made conscience of smaller matters, as of ceremonies, but omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgement and mercy. Now would you not think that the souls of these Pharisees by a pythagorean transmigration, were entered into our new reformers.  
As the murderers of our Sovereign resemble the crucifiers of our Saviour; so we find them acting all the same parts. And first Judas who sold his Master, of all that conspired against Christ, is most odious; for he was his disciple, a domestic servant, one whom he trusted with his purse; and yet he, his familiar friend, who did eat of his bread lift up the heel against him. So our Sovereign was sold at a greater price than our Saviour, by those who had as near a relation unto him, as judas had unto Christ: for they were his country men, brought up with him, his servants and familiar friends, whom he trusted with his purse, with his counsels and his person, cherished in his bosom, and enriched with many princely favours. In many respects they were fare worse than judas: for when judas sold his Master, he thought he would not have suffered, but have escaped by a miracle, as he had sometimes done before. This is the conjecture of the Fathers, and may be probably gathered out of the Text; for it is said, Then judas when he saw that he was condemned, 
Matth. 27.3.  repeated himself: so that before, he thought it should not have come to that, but that Christ would have escaped, and he gone away with the money. But the Judass who sold their Sovereign knew very well that he could not escape, being delivered into the hands of his enemies. Again Judas saw not the horror of his sin before he had committed it; if he had, it is probable he would not have done it, but these men saw and knew very well what horrible fact it was to deliver up their King, as may appear by Lowdon his Speech, therein he professed that it is against the law of Nations for them to deliver up a stranger, who had put himself under their protection, much more to deliver their King. And yet all that was only for form sake, that he might better beat the bargain, and raise the price, as did appear by the event. Besides they have acted many more parts than Judas did: for they were the first that took arms against him, engaging all his Subjects by a solemn League and Covenant, to destroy the Church and the King, they devested him of all authority within that Kingdom, Seized his Castles and revenues, and by their example and Covenant, encouraged their Brethren in England to do the like: and when his Majesty was like to have prevailed against his Rebels in England, they, notwithstanding that the King, to secure them on his side, had gratified them, by granting them all their unreasonable and impious demands, yet came in the second time with a great army, to assist strangers against their natural King. And they have persecuted all the King's party in that Kingdom, imprisoning, banishing, forfeiting and barborously murdering, even under colour of justice, all that adhered unto him. Alas poor Judas did none of these things, but would have rescued his Master out of the counsels hands, if it had been in his power; and yet because he sold him for money, he is odious and infamous unto all generations: Oh than what shall these men be? Finally judas repent, was swallowed up of sorrow, confessed his sin, made restitution, for he gave back the money, and made some satisfaction too, for he took revenge upon himself when he betook him to the halter. But we see not as yet so much repentance in these Judaises.  
Here let no man think that I charge that horrible crime upon the Scottish Nation: I know it was not the fault of the Nation; but of that religion wherein most of them were brought up. Yea, and albeit the greatest part of that Nation be infected with the leaven of Knox and Buchanan, yet are they not all alike guilty. Some of them and the fare greatest part, were merely cozened out of their loyalty, 
1 Sam. 15.11.  by their blind guides; Like those woe hundred who followed Absolom out of Jerusalem, in their simplicity, knowing no thing of his treason; for they were made to believe that their religion was in danger to be overthrown, and that they were bound in conscience to take arms to defend it, and to assist their brethren in England; yet so as that they never intended any violence unto the King's person, and did from the bottom of their hearts, abhor the delivering him up unto his enemies. Others again never approved of any of their proceed against the King, knowing that their rebellion was most unlawful: yet did they in some sort comply with the Rebels, for fear of losing their estates, their liberties, their lives: these are more like unto Peter who out of fear denied his Master, than to judas, who sold him out of covetousness. Besides both these, there are many other noble Gentlemen, who expressed as much loyalty to their Sovereign, as ever subjects did, and gave as good proof of it, by their service, under the banner of that most renowned Lord, the Lord Marquis of Montrosse, the glory of this age, and honour of this Nation. All these being deducted, it will appear, that it was the smallest part of that Nation, who acted Judas his part, howsoever by craft, they had got the power into their hands and used the tongues of their fiery preachers, to charm the discontented people, from making any opposition against their proceed. And even these too, as infamous as they are, have not dishonoured their Nation more, than their brethren of England have done theirs: as the Scribes and Pharisees expressed more malice against our Saviour, than Judas did; so those who murdered our Sovereign, expressed more malice, than they that sold him: and are to be accounted the greater Traitors, because of the reward which they ga●e unto the other. For God himself aggravates he whoredom of Israel, by this circumstance, that she gave a reward unto her lovers. Ezech 16.33.34. Thou art not like other women for they receive gifts, but thou givest a reward to all thy lovers. As she is a more shameless whore, who hires men for her lust, than she that prostitutes her body for a reward: so are they to be accounted the greatest Traitors, who not only did rise up against their Sovereign, but also hired others into a Rebellion, and to betray him into their hands.  
From Judas come we to the great council. The Parliament is the great Council, and hath acted all and more against their Lord and Sovereign, than the other did against Christ: they consulted how to put him to death, gave money to betray him, sent soldiers to apprehend him. In that great Council Annas and Caiphas were chief: In this Cromwell and Ireton; and Cromwell prophesied a Caiphas did, using almost the same words, It is expedient that he die, a●d unless he die the Nation will perish Bradshaw and Cook are the Scrubs and Lawyers, who fiercely pursued him: they cursed themselves with his blood, as the others did with Christ's; for Bradshaw spoke to this purpose on the Bench: Our Lives are threatened, if we meddle with his blood; but whatsoever shall befall us, we will do justice upon him. And is not this just as the Scribes and Pharisees said His blood be upon us and on our Children. Fairfax was Pilate the Governor, 
Matth. 27.25.  who seemed unwilling to consent to his death, and sought to wash his hands of his blood, by laying it upon others. And his wife Lady Pylat, who dissuaded the murder of our Sovereign, more than the other did the kill of Christ. The Army are the Soldiers who apprehended him, watched him, mocked him, reviled him, cried justice and execution against him, and at last crucified him, and parted his garments amongst them. 
Revel. 11.8.  And London is the great city spiritually Sodom where our Lord was crucified.  
We have now taken a view of the actors in both tragedies, and of their several parts: in the third place, if you will consider their proceed you shall find them alike too, save only that the proceed against our Sovereign were more illegal, and in many things more cruel. Their accusation against Christ was only general, that he was a blasphemer, a deceaver, and one that perverted the nation; but wherein they could not show: & dolus versatur in generalibus. So was the charge against our Sovereign general, and as fare from truth too, as that he was a tyrant, and which is ridiculous a Traitor: but they could prove no particular crime against him. When Pilate desired the Jews to bring a particular accusation against Jesus showing what evil he had done: They answered, if he were not a malefactor, 
Matth. 22.23. Joh. 18.30.  we would not have delivered him up unto thee. And such is the plea that the murderers use for themselves, if the King had not been a wicked tyrant, the Parliament would not have used him as they have done. The Jews pretended a Law for killing of Christ, saying unto Pilate who was a stranger, We have a Law and by our law he ought to die. But they had no such law to produce. 
joh. 19.7.  So the murderers of our Sovereign labour to persuade strangers, that they acted according to the Laws of their own Land; but their consciences can tell them that they did it without Law, and quite contrary to the Law of the land, the Law of God, the Law of nature and nations. Christ was condemned, not by any rule of Law, but by the vote of Parliament: Caiphas asked the question, What think ye? they answered he is guilty of death. So was our Sovereign condemned by vote, 
Matth. 26.66.  Crumwell the Caiphas asked the rest, What think ye? and they all being packed by him, and chosen for the purpose, answered he is worthy to die. In Christ's first trial before the great council, his enemies were his judges; but in his second trial, when he was sentenced to death, Pilate only was judge, who was willing to have released him, and his enemies were only his accusers: but in the whole proceed against our Sovereign, his enemies were not only accusers and parties, but also his judges, the most professed enemies he had; and the most desperate Traitors that ever the sun did shine on, who had acted so much villainy, that they could not imagine any safety for themselves, unless he were destroyed, and all that belong unto him. The Jews confessed that they had no power of life and death, saying, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death: 
Joh. 18.31.  But that high court of justice (as they term it) which was erected for his Majesty's trial, had less power, it was not lawful for them to put any man to death, much less their Sovereign: for the great council of the Jews had some power, being instituted by God himself; it was proper for them to judge of blasphemy, if they had judged aright; though power of life and death was taken from them by the Roman conqueror: but the court that condemned our Sovereign had no power at all, neither is it any court, as not being instituted by any who had authority; they did honour themselves, and so their honour is nothing. The great council that condemned Christ; was rightly constituted of all its members, and under no force: so was not the council that condemned our Sovereign; for the better part of it, the house of the Lords, was wholly laid aside; and the house of Commons often purged, so that the tenth man legally elected, was not present, and those that were their, under such a force, that they must say, and do, as their Caiphas would have them. 
joh. 8.54.  Christ was allowed to speak for himself, and Pilate desired him to make answer unto those things they witnessed against him, and marvelled greatly that he answered not. But our Sovereign was not allowed to speak for himself, he was condemned before he was heard: 
Matth. 27.13.14.  Bradshaw and Cook, two foul mouthed Dogs, interrupted him, and told him plainly, that the court would not allow him to speak, nor hear his reasons; for they knew well that they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spoke. So that their proceed were more illegal than the proceed of the Jews.  
And as their proceed were more illegal, so in many things more cruel too. 
joh. 19.25.  Christ's followers were not barred from coming unto him; for his mother stood by the cross, and other women of her kindred, so did the beloved Disciple: but our Sovereign was not allowed any of his servants or friends, to attend him, during the time of his trial, and long before: he could not so much as obtain any of his Chaplains to Minister ghostly comfort unto him, which (as he said in his Book) Was a greater rigour and barbarity, then is ever used by Christians to the meanest Prisoners and greatest malefactors; whom though the justice of the Law deprive of worldly comforts, yet the mercy of religion allows them the benefit of their clergy, as not aiming at once to destroy their bodies, and to damn their souls. These murderers were more cruel: for having deprived him, of all things else, they were even loath that he should save his soul: and therefore as they denied him the service of his Chaplains, so the soldiers by their rude and barbarous carriage in his Chamber, did as much as they could, hinder his private addresses unto God. A great company of people and of women, 
Luc. 23.27.  bewailed and lamented Christ's death, without any check or reproof: but men could not express any sorrow for his Majesty's death, without the danger of their own life, and when some silly women wept bitterly seeing his Majesty's execution, they were mocked, threatened, and some of them beaten. The Jews did not much trouble the followers of Christ, before his death, 
Joh. 9.35.12.10.  only the blind man whom he cured, was excommunicated for confessing him, and Lazarus was threatened: but none of them suffered: yea when they apprehended our Saviour they suffered his Disciples to departed as he himself desired, saying, If ye seek me, 
joh. 18.8.  let these go their way. Yea and after Christ had suffered, they would not have persecuted his followers, if they could have been silent; for at first the council only admonished them, Not to speak at all, 
Act. 4.18.  nor Preach in the name of Jesus. But these murderers most cruelly persecuted all his Majesty's friends and followers, putting many of them to death, for their loyalty, even in his life time, which much grieved his righteous soul: and they cut off others after his death; for his precious blood was not sufficient to quench their thirst; as they thirsted after Royal blood so also after Loyal blood: and herein they imitate the savage Tartars, who, when their great Chain dies, they cast many of his dearest friends into the grave after him. When our Saviour was upon the Cross he commended his Mother to the beloved Disciple, and that was not envied, nor the disciple questioned for it: but when our Sovereign on the Scaffold commended those who were nearest unto him, 
joh. 19.26.  and delivered such small Tokens as were left him; unto one who was by to be given unto them, as the pledges of his love; 
joh. 19.38.39.  that was envied, the party questioned, and the Tokens taken from him. Our Saviour was not denied a burial; for two honourable counsellors took a care of his Funeral, and the Jews, as malicious as they were, did not oppose it, only they desired a watch to be set upon his Sepulchre. But our Sovereign was denied this honour, though three honourable counsellors begged his body, to have buried it in the Sepulchre of his Fathers, they could not obtain it: but the murderers carried away his Corpse to Windsor, thinking there to hid it in a private corner, where no man should know: and those honourable counsellors following after, with much ado, obtained to have the disposing of it, in a more seemly place; but without all Funeral solemnity: which yet in a most sumptuous manner is bestowed upon a base rigicide, Dorislaus, that all the world may see, they prefer a Barabas before the Lords anointed. The Jews could not endure to hear Christ magnified, after they had crucified him and therefore they raged against the Gospel which contains the History of his life: As much have these Jews raged against his Majesty's Book, the issue of his divine soul, and laboured by all means to suppress it; but they can no more obscure his glory that shineth in that book, than they can obscure the sun in the firmament: Finally they are more malicious than the Jews, because they committed this parecide, more directly against their knowledgd and conscience; for the Jews did not clearly know that Jesus was the Christ; they expecting a Messiah to come with great pomp and worldly glory, were offended at the baseness of his birth, and many of them seduced to believe that he was an impostor. Therefore said our Saviour, 
Luk. 23.34. Act. 3.17.  Father forgive them, for they know not what the do. And Saint Peter, Through ignorance ye did it. And our Apostle, If they had known it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But the murderers of our Sovereign, knew very well that he was their King, their undoubted Sovereign, and a most pious Prince, and yet even for that cause, and no other, but because he was their King, they put him to death.  
And this leads me to the last consideration, or the ends and causes that moved them to murder, both our Saviour, and our Sovereign, which were the very same. The cause pretended for crucifying of our Saviour, was Salus populi, the safety and liberty of the people, which is the common pretence of all Rebels: Caiphas said, 
John 11.50.  It is expedient that one man die, (meaning Jesus) and that the whole Nation perish not. The same was pretended for the murder of our Sovereign; Crumwell said, Unless he die, the whole Nation must perish. But as that which was pretended to be for the good of the people, proved the bane of the people, bringing a fearful destruction upon them: so also will this, because they killed their King, therefore shall the Nation perish. Those who promised liberty unto the people, and style themselves, custodes libertates Angliae, have brought them under greater slavery and bondage, than the Jews are at this day. Now that people who stood so much with their King, upon their privileges, and the property of their goods, have nothing which they can call their own. The true cause that moved them to crucify Christ, was envy, which Pilate observed, 
Matth. 27.18.  For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. So the ground of all the proceed against our Sovereign, was envy and malice; but if you will ask me the reason why they did so much malign him, none can be given, but because he was their King; for as the Jews said, Whosoever maketh himself a King, 
John 19.12.  speaketh against Caesar. So may I say, whosoever is a King, though made by God as he was, speaketh against the Parliament: for it is as inconsistent with the grounds of these men's religion, to have a King, as to have a Bishop: that Text which they formerly mis-applied against Bishops, The Kings of the Gentiles exercised dominion over them: 
Matth. 20.25.  but it shall not be so among you. I say that Text now fits their turn better against Kings than it did against Bishops; for indeed between Kings over Gentiles, and Ministers of the Gospel, there is no right opposition; but between Kings over Gentiles, and Kings over Christians there is a fit antithesis: and so howsoever the Gentiles have Kings, yet they being Christians, will have no King over them. And now tell me whether Kings will not rather desire to have their Subject's Pagans, than such Christians as they are, who are worse than the Rebels mentioned in the Gospel; they said only, Nolumus hunc regnare; but our Reformers are come to Nolumus ullum regnare super nos, they will have no King at all. They are the true seed of Korah; for as Korah and his complices, Tw● hundred and fifty Princes of the assembly, (all of them Parliament men) gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them: ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, and the Lord is among them, 
Numb. 16.3.  wherefore then lift you up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord? So these Rebels have risen up against the King and the Priest, upon the very same grounds: they are all holy, and therefore need no Bishop to direct them: and the Lord is among them, and therefore they need no King to govern them.  
An other reason that moved the Jews to crucify our Saviour, was a desire to retain their places and dignities, which they feared to lose, if he should be acknowledged for the Messiah. This is expressed Joh. 11.48. If we let him alone, all men will believe on him, and the Romans will come and take away our place. The same was the cause why they murdered our Sovereign, that they might keep those places, and that power which they had got into their hands. And they are fare more unrighteous than the Jews; for the Jews sought only to retain those places whereof they were lawfully possessed, and which of right did belong unto them; but these murderers were not content to enjoy what was their own; but killed their King, that they might keep those Places, Revenues, and power, which they had sacrilegiously usurped and taken from him. Like Achab they killed and took possession: He first killed before he took possession; 
1 King. 21.19.  but these murderers first took possession, and then to maintain their possession, killed their King, the right owner, and barred all his heirs from succeeding. As the Husbandmen in the Parable said, This is the heir, come let in kill him, 
Matth. 21.38. Luc. 20 14.  and seize upon his inheritance. Or, (as St. Luke hath it) that the inheritance may be ours. So have they killed the true Heir, and seek to destroy all his Heirs, that the inheritance which they seized on long before, may be theirs for ever: even all his Houses and rich Furniture, his Parks, Navy, Revenues, and all his Power and Authority: and not only the Inheritance of the Crown, but also the Patrimony of the Church, God's own Inheritance; and the Inheritance also of every man else, whom they at their pleasure can make a Delinquent. But as is said in the Parable, 
Vers. 40, 41.  When the Lord of the Vineyard cometh, he will miserably destroy those wicked men. So we all know that he brought a fearful destruction upon the Nation of the Jews: and certainly he will bring the like upon those murderers, who have followed their example, and gone far beyond them in all manner of wickedness; Their damnation sleepeth not. We know what hath been heretofore the end of Rebels. What became of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, with their complices? they did not die the common death of all men, but the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, so that they went down quick into Hell. Optatus calls unto the Donatists to remember their example, saying, Aspicite perditos magistros vestros. And yet the Donatists never came so near unto Korah and those Rebels; as the desperate Traitors of whom I speak What became of Absolom and Achitophel, 
Num. 17.31, 32  of Shimei and Sheba, of Adonijah and Joah, of Zimri and Josabed, of the two Eunuches who conspired against King Assuerus, and of many more, of whom we read both in sacred and profane story? Did they not all perish in the gainsaying of Korah? So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord; but upon the King's head let his Crown flourish.  
Thus you see that as the Princes of the world crucified the Lord, of glory, so others worse than they, have crucified our glorious Lord. I wish that my detection of that murder might find such success, as St. Peter's discovery had in the first Sermon that he preached, Act. 2. When he had convinced them that Jesus whom they had crucified is Lord and Christ, They were pricked in their hearts, and said, 
Act. 2.37.  Men and brethren what shall we do? They repent, and became very zealous to advance the Kingdom of Christ: so let us be zealous to advance the Kingdom of our glorious martyr, in the person of his Son. Let the same spirit inflame us, which came upon Amasa, 1 Chr. 22.11. Then the spirit came upon Amasa, and he said, thine are we, O David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse: peace, peace be unto thee, and to thine helpers: for thy God helpeth thee. Indeed God is the Guardian of Kings, hath a special care of their preservation, because they are his Deputies and Vicegerents on Earth, by whom he procureth the safety of his people. And therefore he hath been often seen to stretch out his naked arm for their defence. And his arm now is not shortened, nor his affection changed: and therefore in his own good time, when he hath chastised us for our sins, he will certainly, Sir, look upon the justice of Your cause, he will bruise your Enemies with a rod of Iron, he will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel; for Your cause is Gods own cause. And as it is God's cause, so it is the cause of all Kings: they are deeply concerned in it, and aught to pursue those bloody Parricides, who now invade your Throne, tanquam hostes humani generis, as the common Enemies of mankind, and violaters of the law of nature, who have dissolved the bonds of humane society, and overthrown the order of God and nature.  
ANd now to draw to a conclusion, I will reflect a little upon my Text. The Apostle tells us, 
jam. 3.17.  that the ignorance of the wisdom of God, led the Jews to the committing of that horrible murder, For if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory. I may say so much of the murderers of our Sovereign, they were ignorant of the wisdom of God, because utterly destitute of the true Religion: for the true Religion is the wisdom of God, The wisdom that is from above, which (as St. James says) is first pure, then peaceable, etc. The true Religion is said to be pure, because (as Lactantius observes) it allows of nothing which in itself is evil, or known to be evil by the light of nature; and so it alloweth in no way of any Rebellion against Princes. The true Religion delivered unto us in Scripture, and ●●●●ed in the true ancient and Catholic Church, doth teach us to honour and obey the King as Gods Minister set over us, and ●hat the injuries of Kings, though never so great, are to be endured by their Subjects; who have no other remedy, and are to use no other Arms against their King, be he never so wicked, but prayers and tears; that they are to pray for him unto God, who hath the hearts of King in his hand, and can turn them when he thinks fit. That in no case they are to resi●● the King by force, nor take upon them to judge him, bacare he hath no Superior here on Earth; but is reserved to God's tribunal, to whom only he oweth an account of his actions. As for that doctrine of opposing, deposing, and killing of Kings; it was first brought in the Court of Rome a thousand years after Christ, to maintain the Pope's faction against the Emperor and other Princes; and hath been since hotly defended by the Jesuits, and others of the Pope's parasites: and what they have spewed out of their mouth, the Puritans have licked up borrowing all their arguments, and indeed have gone so far beyond their Masters, in all treasonable doctrines and practice, that in comparison of them, even the Jesuits now may be accounted loyal Subjects. But that is not the wisdom of God; But the wisdom of this world that come to nought. 
Vers. 6. James 3.15.  That wisdom descendeth not from above; but is earthly, sensual, axd devilish. The Church of England did abhor that doctrine of resistance, and in the point of subjection, as in other things, followed the true ancient Catholic Church. That Religion only, among all Christian Religions, doth promise safety and security to Kings, submitting them neither to Pope, Parliament, Presbytery, nor People; but unto God only, by whom and from whom they reign. In the profession and maintenance of that Religion, which your glorious Father sealed with his blood. God will yet establish your Throne, and make you to possess the Gates of your enemies, which Almighty God grant, etc.  
FINIS