The weakness of these mens judgments must be made up by their clamours and activity.
It was a great part of some mens Religion to scandalize me and mine; they thought theirs could not be true, if they cried not down Mine as false.
I thank God, I have had more triall of his grace, as to the constancy of my Religion in the Protestant profession of the Church of England, both abroad, and at home, then ever they are like to have.
Nor do I know any exception I am so liable to, in their opinion, as too great a fixedness in that Religion, whose judicious and solid grounds, both from Scripture, and Antiquity, will not give my conscience leave to approve or consent to those many dangerous and divided innovations, which the bold ignorance of some men would needs obtrude upon me, and my people.
Contrary to those well tried foundations both of Truth, and Order, which men of far greater Learning, and clearer Zeal, have settled in the Confession and Constitution of this Church in England, which many former Parliaments in the most calm, and unpassionate times, have oft confirmed; In which I shall ever, by Gods help, persevere, as beleeving it hath most of primitive Truth and Order.
Nor did my using the assistance of some Papists, which were my Subjects, any way fight against my Religion, some men would needs interpret it: especially those who least of all men cared whom they imployed, or what they said and did, so they might prevail.
'Tis strange that so wise men, as they would be esteemed, should not conceive, That differences of perswasion in matters of Religion may easily fall out, where there is the samenesse of duty, Allegeance and subjection: The first they owe as men and Christians to God; the second they owe to me in common, as their King: different professions in point of Religion cannot (any more then in civill Trades) take away the community of relations either to Parents, or to Princes. And where is there such an Oglio or medly of various Religions in the world again, as those men entertain in their service (who finde most fault with me) without any scruple, as to the diversity of their Sects and Opinions!
It was, indeed, a foul and indeleable shame, for such as would be counted Protestants, to inforce Me, a declared Protestant, their Lord and King, to a necessary use of Papists, or any other, who did but their duty to help Me to defend my self.
Nor did I more then is lawful for any King, in such exigents to use the aid of any his Subjects.