But no necessity shall ever, I hope, drive me or Mine to invade or sell the Priests Lands, which both Pharaoh's divinity, and Joseph's true piety abhorred to do: So unjust I think it both in the eye of Reason and Religion, to deprive the most sacred employment of all due incouragements; and like that other hard-hearted Pharaoh, to withdraw the Straw, and encrease the Task; so pursuing the oppressed Church as some have done, to the red Sea of a Civill War, where nothing but a miracle can save either it, or him, who esteems it his greatest Title to be called, and his chiefest glory to be The defender of the Church, both in its true faith, and its just fruitions; equally abhoring Sacriledge and Apostacy.
I had rather live as my Predecessour Henry the 3. sometime did, on the Churches alms, then violently to take the bread out of Bishops and Ministers mouths.
The next work will be Jeroboam's reformation, consecrating the meanest of the people to be Priests in Israel, to serve those Golden Calves who have enrich'd themselves with the Churches Patrimony and Dowry; which how it thrived both with Prince, Priests and people, is well enough known: And so it will be here, when from the tuition of Kings and Queens, which have been nursing fathers and mothers of this Church, it will be at their allowance, who have already discovered, what hard fathers and step-mothers they will be.
If the poverty of Scotland might, yet the plenty of England cannot excuse the envy and rapine of the Churches Rights and Revenues.
I cannot so much as pray God to prevent those sad consequences, which will inevitably follow the parity and poverty of Ministers, both in Church and State; since I think it no lesse then a mocking and tempting of God, to desire him to hinder those mischiefs whose occasions and remedies are in our own power; it being every mans sin not to avoid the one, and not to use the other.
There are ways enough to repair the breaches of the State without the ruins of the Church; as I would be a restorer of the one, so I would not be an oppressor of the other under the pretence of publick Debts: The occasions contracting them were bad enough, but such a discharging of them would be much worse; I pray God neither I, nor mine, may be accessary to either.
To thee, O Lord, do I addresse my Prayer, beseeching thee to pardon the rashness of my Subjects Swearings, and to quicken their sense and observation of those just, morall and indispensable bonds, which thy word and the Laws of this Kingdom have laid upon their Consciences; From which no pretensions of Piety & reformation are sufficient to absolve them; or to engage them to any contrary practises.
Make them at length seriously to consider that nothing violent and injurious can be religious.
Thou allowest no mans committing Sacriledge under the zeal of abhorring Idols.