Upon the Scots delivering the King to the English, and His Captivity at Holmby
The Unreliability of Human Alliances
The King reflects on the betrayal by the Scots, viewing it as a trial of faith that directs him toward the unchanging Rock of Israel.
Still, I can justify those Scots to the whole world in this: that they have not deceived me; for I never trusted them further than one trusts mere men. If I am sold by them, I am only sorry they should do it—and that my price should be so much higher than my Savior's.12 These are only further trials God wants me to make of how uncertain people are, the more to fix me on him, who never fails those who trust in him; though the reeds of Egypt break under the hand of anyone who leans on them, yet the Rock of Israel will be an everlasting stay and defense.
Solitude as a School of Detachment
Captivity provides the King with the necessary space to detach from worldly hopes and affirm his integrity against political pressure.
God's providence commands me to withdraw from everything and turn to him, so that in him I may possess myself—which I lose whenever I set my hopes on others. The solitude and captivity I've now been reduced to give me enough leisure to study the world's vanity and inconstancy. God sees fit to take from me my wife, children, army, friends, and freedom, so that I may be wholly His—who alone is all.✦ I don't mind being counted among the unfortunate, as long as I'm not on the blacklist of irreligious and sacrilegious princes. No restraint will ensnare my soul in sin, or get from me anything that would make my enemies more insolent, my friends ashamed, or my name accursed. They have no great reason to triumph just because they’ve got my person in their power, since my soul is still my own; nor will they ever gain my consent against my conscience. What they call obstinacy, I know God counts as honest constancy—and reason, religion, and honor all forbid me from turning back. It's clear now that it wasn't evil counselors around me, but a good conscience in me, that has been fought against; and they never meant to bring me to my Parliament until they had brought my mind under their obedience. If I gave in to what some people want, I’d become exactly what they want me to be—no longer a king, and much less of a man or a Christian. What tumults and armies could not obtain, neither will restraint; though it has a little safety for a prince, it does not bring more danger.
The Price of Conscience
The King asserts that his liberty is secondary to his conscience and the welfare of his people, choosing to suffer rather than betray his duty.
The fear of people will never be my snare, and the love of any liberty will never entangle my soul. Better that others betray me than that I betray myself, and that the price of my liberty should be my conscience. The greatest injuries my enemies seek to inflict on me cannot be done without my own consent. As long as I can reasonably refuse, I will defeat the strongest effects of their malice—people who neither know how to make worthy use of what I have already granted, nor know what more to demand of me, except this: that I should seem willing to help them destroy myself and what is mine. Even if they destroy me, they'll still have no cause to despise me. Neither liberty nor life is as dear to me as the peace of my conscience, the honor of my crowns, and the welfare of my people—which my word could injure more than any war, if I were to gratify a few in order to oppress everyone. With God's blessing, the laws will revive, along with the love and loyalty of my subjects, provided I don't bury them by my own consent or cover them in that grave of dishonor and injustice that the violence of some men has dug for them. If my captivity or death must be the price of their redemption, I don't begrudge paying it.✦ No situation can make a king miserable unless it also brings with it the enslavement of his soul, his people, and his descendants.3 Later ages may see what the blindness of this age will not; and God may at last show my subjects that I choose rather to suffer for them than with them. Perhaps I could buy myself some appearance of liberty if I consented to enslave them; I would rather risk the ruin of one king than set many tyrants over them—from whom I pray God deliver them, whatever becomes of me, whose solitude has not left me alone.45
A Prayer for Divine Sustenance
The chapter concludes with a fervent prayer, seeking God's presence, mercy, and strength to endure the trials of imprisonment.
For You, O God, infinitely good and great, are with me; Your presence is better than life, and serving You is perfect freedom.6 Claim me as your servant, and I'll never have reason to complain about lacking the liberty that befits a man, a Christian, and a king. Continue to bless me with reason as a man, with religion as a Christian, and with constancy in justice as a king. Even if you allow me to be stripped of all outward ornaments, keep me always in those enjoyments where I may enjoy you yourself, and which cannot be taken from me against my will. Let no fire of affliction boil over my passion into any impatience or sordid fears.✦ There are many who say of me, "There is no help for me." Lift up the light of your countenance upon me, and I will lack neither safety, liberty, nor majesty. Give me the measure of patience and constancy that my condition now requires. My strength is scattered, my hope in people is defeated, and I am held captive: O do not be far from me, or my enemies will gain too much power over me. I have become a wonder and a scorn to many: O be my helper and defender. Show me some sign of favor for my good, so that those who hate me may be ashamed, because you, Lord, have helped and comforted me; and establish me with your free Spirit, so that I may do and endure your will just as you would have me.✦✦ Be merciful to me, O Lord, for my soul trusts in you; yes, and in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge until these calamities have passed.✦ Rise up to deliver me; do not delay long, O my God.✦ Even if you kill me, I will still trust in your mercy and in my Savior's merit.✦ I know that my Redeemer lives; even if you lead me through the veil and shadow of death, I will fear no evil.7
Read the original Latin
Yet may I justifie those Scots to all the world in this. That they have not deceived me; for I never trusted to them further then to men: if I am sold by them, I am only sorry they should do it: and that My price should be so much above My Saviors.
These are but further Essays which God will have Me make of mans uncertainty, the more to fix Me on himself, who never faileth them that trust in him; though the Reeds of Ægypt break under the hand of him that leans on them, yet the Rock of Israel will be an everlasting stay and defence.
Gods Providence commands Me to retire from all to himself, that in him I may enjoy My Self, which I lose, while I let out My hopes to others.
The solitude & captivity to which I am now reduced, gives Me leisure enough to study the worlds vanity and inconstancie.
God sees 'tis fit to deprive Me of Wife, Children, Armie, Friends, and Freedom, that I may be wholly his, who alone is all.
I care not much to be reckoned among the Unfortunate, if I be not in the black List of irreligious and sacrilegious Princes.
No Restraint shall ensnare my Soul in sin; nor gain that of me which may make my Enemies more insolent, my Friends ashamed, or my Name accursed.
They have no great cause to triumph, that they have got my Person into their power; since my Soul is still my own: nor shall they ever gain my Consent against my Conscience.
What they call obstinacie, I know God accounts honest constancie, from which Reason and Religion, as well as Honor, forbid Me to recede.
'Tis evident now, that it was not Evil Counsellors with Me, but a good Conscience in Me, which hath been fought against; nor did they ever intend to bring Me to my Parliament, till they had brought My mind to their obedience.
Should I grant what some men desire, I should be such as they with Me, not more a King, and far less both Man and Christian.
What Tumults and Armies could not obtain, neither shall Restraint; which though it have a little of safety to a Prince, yet it hath not more of danger.
The fear of men shall never be my snare; nor shal the love of any liberty entangle my soul: Better others betray me, then my self: and that the price of my liberty should be my conscience; the greatest injuries my Enemies seek to inflict upon me, cannot be without my own consent.
While I can deny with Reason, I shall defeat the greatest impressions of their malice, who neither know how to use worthily what I have already granted; nor what to require more of me but this, That I would seem willing to help them to destroy my self and mine.
Although they should destroy me, yet they shall have no cause to despise me.
Neither liberty nor life are so dear to me, as the peace of my Conscience, the Honor of my Crowns, and the welfare of my People; which my word may injure more then any War can do; while I gratifie a few to oppresse all.
The Laws wil by Gods blessing, revive, with the love and Loyaltie of my Subjects; if I bury them not by my Consent, and cover them in that grave of dishonor and injustice, which some mens violence hath digged for them.
If my Captivity or Death must be the price of their redemption, I grudge not to pay it.
No condition can make a King miserable, which carries not with it, his Souls, his Peoples, and Posterities thraldom.
After-times may see, what the blindnesse of this Age will not; and God may at length shew my Subjects, that I chuse rather to suffer for them, then with them; happily I might redeem my self to some shew of liberty, if I would consent to enslave them: I had rather hazard the ruine of one King, then to confirm many Tyrants over them, from whom I pray God deliver them, what ever becomes of me, whose solitude hath not left me alone.
For thou, O God, infinitely Good, and Great, art with me, whose presence is better then life, and whose service is perfect freedom.
Own me for thy Servant, and I shall never have cause to complain for want of that liberty which becomes a Man, a Christian, and a King.
Blesse me still with Reason, as a Man; with Religion, as a Christian; and with constancie in Justice, as a King.
Though thou sufferest me to be stript of all outward ornaments, yet preserve me ever in those enjoyments wherein I may enjoy thy self; and which cannot be taken from me against my will.
Let no fire of affliction boile over my passion to any impatience or sordid fears.
There be many that say of me, There is no help for me: do thou lift up the light of thy Countenance upon me, and I shall want neither Safetie, Libertie, nor Majestie.
Give me that measure of patience and constancie which my condition now requires.
My strength is scattered, my expectation from Men defeated, my Person restrained: O be not thou far from me, lest my enemies prevail too much against me.
I am become a wonder, and a scorn to many: O be thou my helper and defender.
Shew some token upon me for good, that they that hate me may be ashamed, because thou Lord, hast holpen and comforted me; for establish me with thy free Spirit, that I may do and suffer thy will, as thou wouldst have me.
Be mercifull to me, O Lord, for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, and in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, untill these calamities be over-past.
Arise to deliver me, make no long tarrying, O my God. Though thou killest me, yet will I trust in thy mercy, and my Saviours merit.
I know that my Redeemer liveth; though thou leadest me through the vail and shadow of death, yet shall I fear none ill.
Scripture echoes
- ↩1Cor.15.28;Col.3.11 — When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to the one who subjected all things to him, so that God may be all in all. Col.3.11 — where there is no Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free—but Christ is all and in all.
- ↩Mark.10.45;1Cor.6.20;1Pet.1.18-1Pet.1.19 — For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. 1Cor.6.20 — For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body. 1Pet.1.18 — knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things—silver or gold—from your futile way of life handed down from your fathers, 1Pet.1.19 — but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot
- ↩1Pet.1.7;Isa.48.10 — so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that is perishable even though refined by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Isa.48.10 — See, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have chosen you in the furnace of affliction.
- ↩Ps.86.17 — Grant me a sign of your favor, that those who hate me may see it and be put to shame; for you, O LORD, have helped me and comforted me.
- ↩Ps.51.12 — Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
- ↩Ps.57.1 — To the choirmaster. Do Not Destroy. A Miktam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave.
- ↩Ps.40.13 — For evils have surrounded me without number; my iniquities have overtaken me, so that I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart has forsaken me.
- ↩Job.13.15 — Though he slay me, I will not hope in him; yet my ways I will argue before his face.
Notes
- 1 ↩Source 'further then to men' uses early-modern 'then' for 'than'; rendered as limited human trust, not divine confidence.
- 2 ↩'My price ... above My Saviors' contrasts the king's sale-price with Christ's betrayal price (thirty pieces of silver).
- 3 ↩Source 'Souls, his Peoples, and Posterities thraldom' is read as a shared possessive chain (soul's, people's, and posterity's thralldom)—bondage of conscience, subjects, and descendants—not three independent objects.
- 4 ↩Source 'happily' is taken in the early-modern sense 'haply/perhaps,' not 'joyfully.'
- 5 ↩Source 'then' in the comparisons is normalized as modern 'than.'
- 6 ↩Early modern 'then' normalized to 'than' in 'better than life' (comparative sense, not temporal).
- 7 ↩Source 'vail' is the older spelling of 'veil'; rendered as veil. 'None ill' kept as 'no ill' (harm/evil) rather than smoothed into the more familiar Psalm wording 'no evil'.
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