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Phenir XVI.

A True Relation of the late King's Death. To which are added, Copies of two Papers written by the late King CHARLES II of Bleffed Memory, found in the Strong Box.

N Monday, being the fecond of February, the K. rofe early, faying, that he had not flept well the last night; and about Seven of the Clock, coming from his private Devotions out of bis Clofet, fell down (and scarce any fign of Life remaining in bin for the space of four hours) of a Fit of an Apoplexy: But with the lofs of fixteen Ounces of Blood, and other Applications, came again t hi Senfes, and there was great hopes of his Recovery, till Thursday about One a clock; and at Five the Doctors being come before the Coun cil, declar'd that the King was in great danger; and on Friday a quarter before Twelve, he departed this Life. God have mercy on his Soul,

P. M. a C. F. came to the D. upon the Doctor's telling him of the State of the K. and told him, That now was the time for him to take care of his Brother's Soul, and that it was his Duty to tell him fo. The D. with this admonishment went to the K. and after fome private Difcourfe, the K. utter'd theft Expreffions; 0 Br. how long have I wish'd? but now help me: withal declaring, that he would have Mr. Hud. who had preferv'd him in the Tree, and now hop'd would preferve his Soul. Mr. H. was accordingly fent for, and defir'd to bring

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all Neceffaries for a dying Man. But he not having the B. S. by him, went to one of the Qu. Ps. and telling him the occafion, defir'd his Affiftance to procure it, and to bring it to the Back Stairs. The K. having notice that Mr. Hud. waited at the Door, defir'd to be in private; the Bifhops and Nobles withdrew, the D. latching faft the Door, the Lords P.B.. and F. were going out alfo, but the D. told them they might ftay. The K. feeing Mr. H. cry'd out, Almighty God! what good Planet governs me, that all my Life is Wonders and Miracles! When, O Lord, I confider my Infancy, my Exile, my Escape at Worcefter, my Prefervation in the Oak with the Affiftance of this good Father, and now to have him again to preferve my Soul ! O Lord, my wonderful Reftoration, my great danger in the late Confpiracy; and last of all to be rais'd from Death to Life, and to have my Soul, preferv'd by the Affiftance of this good Father, whom I fee, O good Lord, that thou baft created for my good! The D. and Lds withdrew into the Clofet for the space of an hour: Then entring the Room again, the Father ask'd the K. whether he would be pleas'd to receive? He anfwer'd, If I were worthy of it. Amen, Amen. The Fa. remaining comforting and praying with him, he faid, Father, if I am worthy of it, I pray let me have it. The Fa. faid, it would be brought to him immediately, and ask'd his leave to proceed with the Extreme Union. The King reply'd, With all my heart: the D. and Lords affifting at the time. Fa. H. was call'd to the Door, where he receiv'd the B. S. and defiring the K. to compofe himself to receive, the K. would needs rife (but was perfuaded to the contrary) he faid, Let me meet my Heavenly Father in a better manner than lying on my back. But being over-rul'd, they continue in Prayer: Amongst others, the Fa. repeats an Act of Contrition, defiring, the K. to repeat it word by word after him. Having made an end, the K.receiv'd with the greateft Expreffions of Devotion imaginable. This being ended, they go on with the Prayers de Anima. That being done, the K. defir'd the A& of Contrition to be again repeated, faying, O Lord, good God, when my Lips fail, let my Heart (peak these Words eternally. Amen.

The Bishops and Lords enter the Room again, and defire the K. to remember his laft End, and to endeavour to makea good End. He faid he had thought of it, and hop'd he had made his Peace with God. They ask'd him whether he would receive; he faid he would not. So perfifting in extolling. the Qu. and D. faid, He was not forry to leave the World, learings fo good a Brother to Rule behind him.

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The First Paper.

HE Discourse we had the other day, I hope, fatisfied you in the main, That Chrift can have but one Church here upon Earth; and I believe that it is as vifible, as that the Scripture is in Print, That none can be that Church, but that which is call'd the Roman Catholick Church. I think you need not trouble your felf with entering into that Ocean of particular Difputes, when the main, and in truth the only Queftion is, Where that Church is, which we profefs to believe in the two Creeds? We declare there to believe one Catholick and Apoftolick Church, and it is not left to every fantastical man's. Head to believe as he pleases; but to the Church, to whom Ghrift left the Power upon Earth to govern us in matters of Faith, who made these Creeds for our Directions. It were a very irrational thing to make Laws for a Country, and leave it to the Inhabitants to be the Interpreters and Judges of thofe Laws: for then every man will be his own Judg, and by consequence no fuch thing as either Right or Wrong. Can we therefore fuppofe that God Almighty would leave us at those Uncertainties, as to give us a Rule to go by, and leave every Man to be his own Judg? I do ask any ingenious Man, whe ther it be not the fame thing to follow our own Fancy, or to interpret the Scripture by it? I would have any Man fhew me, where the Power of deciding Matters of Faith is given to every particular Man. Chrift left his Power to his Church, even to forgive Sins in Heaven, and left his Spirit with them, which they exercis'd after his Refurrection: Firft by his Apoftles in their Creeds, and many years after by the Council at Nice, where that Creed was made that is call'd by that name: and by the Power which they had receiv'd from Chrift, they were the Judges even of the Scripture it felf, many years after the Apostles, which Books were Canonical and which were not. And if they had this Power then, I defire to know how they came to lose it, and by what Authority men feparate themfelves from that Church? The only Pretence I ever heard of, was, because the Church has fail'd in wrefting and interpreting the Scripture, contrary to the true Senfe and Meaning of it, and that they have impos'd Articles of Faith upon us, which are not to be warranted by God's Word. I do defire to know who is to be Judg of that, whether the whole Church, the Succeffion whereof has continued to this

day

y without interruption, or particular Men, who have rais'd hifms for their own Advantage,

This is a true Copy of a Paper I found in the late King my
Brother's Strong Box, written in his own Hand.

The Second Paper.

J. R.

T is a fad thing to confider, what a world of Herefys are crept into this Nation: Every man thinks himself as comtent a Judg of the Scriptures, as the very Apoftles themIves. And 'tis no wonder that it fhould be fo, fince that irt of the Nation which looks moft like a Church, dares not ing the true Arguments against the other Sects, for fear ey fhould be turn'd against themselves, and confuted by their vn Arguments. The Church of England (as it is call'd) ould fain have it thought they are the Judges in Matters piritual, and yet dare not fay pofitively there is no Appeal om them; for either they muft fay, that they are Infalli le (which they cannot pretend to) or confefs, that what they ecide in Matters of Confcience, is no farther to be follow'd an it agrees with every man's private Judgment. If Chrift id leave a Church here upon Earth, and we were all once of hat Church, how and by what Authority did we feparate com that Church? If the power of interpreting of Scripture e in every man's Brain, what need have we of a Church or Churchmen? To what purpose then did our Saviour, after e had given his Apoftles power to bind and loofe in Heaven nd Earth, add to it, That he would be with them even to the end fathe World? The

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Fancies; which as foon as it fhall contradict or vary from they are ready to embrace or join with the next Congregation of People, whofe Difcipline or Worship agrees with their own Opinion at that time: fo that according to this Doctrine, there is no other Church, nor Interpreter of Scripture, but that which lies in every man's giddy Brain. I defire to know therefore of every ferious Confiderer of these things, whether the great Work of our Salvation, ought to depend upon fuch a fandy Foundation as this? Did Chrift ever fay to the Civil Magiftrates (much less to the People) That he would be with them to the end of the World? Or did he give them the Power to forgive Sins? St. Paul tells the Co rinthians, Te are God's Husbandry, Ye are God's Building; We are Labourers with God: This fhews who are the Labourers, and who are the Husbandry and Building. And in this whole Chapter, and in the preceding one, St. Paul takes great pains to fet forth, that They (the Clergy) have the Spirit of God, without which no man fearches the deep things of God. And he concludes the Chapter with this Verfe, For who hath known the Mind of the Lord, that he might inftru&t him? But we have the Mind of Chrift. Now if we but confider in human probability and reafon, the Powers Chrift leaves to his Church in the Gospel, and St. Paul explains fo distinctly afterwards; we cannot think that our Saviour faid all thefe things to no purpofe. And pray confider on the other fide, that those who refift the Truth, and will not fubmit to his Church, draw their Arguments from Implications, and far-fetch'd Interpretations, at the fame time that they deny plain and pofitive Words: which is fo great a Difingenuity, as 'tis not almost to be thought that they can believe themselves. Is there any other Foundation of the Protestant Church, but that if the Civil Magiftrate pleafe, he may call fuch of the Clergy as he thinks fit for his turn at that time, and turn the Church either to Presbytery, Independency, or indeed what he pleases? This was the way of our pretended Reformation here in England; and by the fame Rule and Authority it may be alter'd into as many more Shapes and Forms, as there are Fancies in mens Heads. This is a True Copy.

FINI S.

NOV 1 1917

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