the Univerfal Light of Nature (which pronounces an inviolable Sanctity upon the Perfons of Kings) and prostitute Religion in fo audacious a Manner, as to wash their Profane Hands in the Blood of their Sovereign, and in the Face of the Sun expose the Headless Monarch to the Rabble, and even difturb the Body after Interment: So that the Royal Sepulchre (if He had any) remains undiscover'd to this Day. Horrible furely must be the Degeneracy and Impudence of an Age, that could perpetrate fuch a Pageant of Villany, under the Shadow of Justice and Religion, and think they were doing God Service when they were Murdering his Anointed! Condemned may They for ever be in the Annals of the World, and branded with an Eternal Mark of Infamy and Reproach! May the Memorable Day continue Sacred in the Kalandar of the Church, as a perpetual Monument of Hypocrifie and Atheism, want of Principle and Popular Fury; and may the Wif dom of the State encourage the Veneration that belongs to it, as a Standing Security to Crown'd-Heads, and a conftant Guard to the Majefty of Princes.

HAPPY Would it be for the People of England, if the Shame that attends that Treasonable A& would be accepted by Hea ven as an Atonement; but we jufly fear there is a Portion of Divine Vengeance unpoured

out,

out, and that the Guilt is yet unexpiated The Presbyterian muft certainly be apprehenfive of This, when he labours fo hard to vindicate himself from acting a Part in the Tragedy, and would willingly fhift the Sin at the Door of the Independent; but in Cafes of Murder the Acceffory becomes a Principal, and therefore we may fairly pronounce them Both equally Guilty; My Soul come not thou in1 to their Secret, for in their Anger they flew a Man! Curfed be their Anger, for it was Fierce, and their Wrath, for it was Cruel.

WHOEVER Confults the Melancholy Records of thofe Licentious Times, will find the Presbyterian drew up the Curtain, appear'd firft upon the Stage, and under à Pretence of REFORMATION and a PURER LIGHT, involv'd the State in Darkness and Confufion: 'Twas He that firft funk the Dignity of his Sovereign, ftript him of his Majesty, and left his Perfon Defencelefs and Unguarded! 'Twas He that poifon'd the Loyalty of the People, fomented the Spirit of Faction in the City, encouraged the Out-cries of the Mul titude, and led the Impudent Rabble to the Gates of the Royal Palace it felf! 'Twas He that fold his King, voted him a Prisoner, perfuaded him to Perjury, and to abolish Epifcopacy that he was bound by Oath to defend ! 'Twas He that feized the Patrimony of the Church and the Revenues of the Crown de

livered Treafon by Infpiration, made a mock of Sin, and for fear of Superftition became guilty of Sacrilege! Who can ever affert the Loyalty of a Presbyterian after such a black Catalogue of Faction and Difobedience? Who will ever believe him fincere in his Addresses to Heaven, when fuch amazing Wickedness was carried on under the folemn Profeffions of Piety and Confcience? Who can acquit him of the Guilt of this Innocent Blood, when He impicully destroy'd his Prince in his Political Capacity, and divested him of the Fundamental Supports of his Throne, which would have been a Defence against the Fury of Seditious Spirits, and protected him from the Madness of the People? In fhort, the Independent finish'd what the Presbyterian began; the first, I confefs, cut off the Head of CHARLES STUART, when, the other, (to use their own wicked Diftinction) had before Murder'd the King.

A Diftinction certainly infpir'd by the great Father of Rebellion, thus to divide the Perfonal and Political Capacity, to profess a Tenderness for the Safety of the King, and at the fame time difcharge Artillery against him, as if it was a Duty to destroy the Man to preferve the Prince !

I have often endeavour'd to believe that it was not at first the Defign of the Faction to carry things to thofe fatal Extremities that

follow'd;

follow'd; but when they had broken through the Inclosures of the Church, and let the Wild Boar into the Vineyard, it is no wonder that the Beast lay about him fo furiously, made fuch havock of Decency and Order, and confounded all things Civil and Sacred. The leaft Encroachment upon Holy Ground, the leaft Rupture in the Holy Establishment, is a fenfible Wound to Religion and the Safety of the State, and opens a Scene of endless Ruin and Defolation: For when a Man breaks the Communion, and leaps out of the Fold of the Church, 'tis a chance but he bids adieu to that Principle, which preferv'd his Loyalty to his Prince, as well as Piety to his God; and is in danger of becoming a Traytor to the State, and an Atheist in Religion.

BUT whatever might be the View of the Presbyterian in improving the Misfortunes of his Country, I am at a lofs to know the Cause of his refolv'd Averfion to Peace; why he retir❜d from the moft fubmiffive Condefcenfions of his Sovereign, used Him with the most irreconcileable Infolence, and treated Him with all the Pride and Pertnefs imaginable; why His Acts of Grace were always moft barbarously abufed; He was never let alone 'till He had parted with All, had almoft facrificed his Honour and his Confcience, was pelted with Ordinances and Remonftrances, defamed with Libels, affronted with Tumults,

and hunted as a Patridge upon the Mountains, unless they had refolv'd to fulfil their Promife, and in the fublimeft Senfe, to make the Martyr a moft Glorious King.

I confefs the Affembly of Divines protefted with Resentment, their Abhorrence of that Mockery of Justice, and endeavour'd in a very folemn Manner, to wash their Hands of the Guilt; but their Concern, we imagine, proceeded more from their Spleen against the Actors (who had forced the Reins of Power out of their Hands) than from a Deteftation of the Villany; and we have the greateft reafon to believe, they ftill lov'd the Treafon tho' they hated the Traytors.

Ir would perhaps be a very bold Advance to fay, that the Principles of a Pref byterian are abfolutely incompatible with the Conftitution of the English State; but whoever looks into the Original of a Puritan, will find his Notions more properly fuited to a Popular Administration, than with the Scheme of Government in this Kingdom: Befides, he abfolutely denies the Supremacy of the King in the Affairs of the Church, will take upon him to punish him with Eccleftical Cenfures, and can for the leaft Mifmanagement, deliver the Monarch over to Satan to be buffetted. The greatest Honour the Presbytery can beftow upon the Sovereign is, to dignifie him with the formal Office

of