The Diary Of John Evelyn Vol-2

DIARY OF LONDON

loss of reputation by an universal neglect of the public
for the love of a voluptuous and sensual life, which a
vicious Court had brought into credit. I think of it with
sorrow and pity, when I consider how good and debonair
a nature that unhappy Prince was; what opportunities he
had to have made himself the most renowned King that
ever swayed the British scepter, had he been firm, to
that Church for which his martyred and blessed fathei
suffered; and had he been grateful to Almighty God, who
so miraculously restored him, with so excellent a relig-
ion; had he endeavored to own and propagate it as he
should have done, not only for the good of his king-
dom, but of all the Reformed Churches in Christendom,
now weakened and near ruined through our remissness and
suffering them to be supplanted, persecuted, and destroyed,
as in France, which we took no notice of. The conse-
quence of this, time will show, and I wish it may pro-
ceed no further. The emissaries and instruments of the
Church of Rome will never rest till they have crushed
the Church of England, as knowing that alone to be able
to cope with them, and that they can never answer her
fairly, but lie abundantly open to the irresistible force
of her arguments, antiquity and purity of her doctrine,
so that albeit it may move God, for the punishment of a
nation, so unworthy, to eclipse again the profession of
her here, and darkness and superstition prevail, I am
most confident the doctrine of the Church of England
will never be extinguished, but remain visible, if not
eminent, to the consummation of the world. I have in-
numerable reasons that confirm me in this opinion, which
I forbear to mention here.

In the meantime, as to the discourse of his Majesty
with Mr. Pepys, and those papers, as I do exceedingly
prefer his Majesty's free and ingenuous profession of what
his own religion is, beyond concealment upon any politic
accounts, so I think him of a most sincere and honest
nature, one on whose word one may rely, and that he
makes a conscience of what he promises, to perform it.
In this confidence, I hope that the Church of England
may yet subsist, and when it shall please God to open
his eyes and turn his heart (for that is peculiarly in the
Lord's hands) to flourish also. In all events, whatever
does become of the Church of England, it is certainly, ofes,hat they pretended to do. J* ^ that he could do none of Worcester he would have no further com-