A Warning: Kill the King at Our Peril

Last updated on: January 30, 2016 at 11:36 pm by John Mark N. Reynolds

A Warning: Kill the King at Our Peril 2016-01-30T23:36:56-04:00 John Mark N. Reynolds

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The English murdered their King today and there is a lesson in it for America.

The English Civil War was a bloody mess where no side was particularly “good” and no side was utterly evil. The wealthy wanted to run things through their tool, parliament, and the King was determined not to let them. Like the Tudors and his father before him, Charles was determined to govern as much as possible by the old traditions of England. The Civil War became a fight against the newly rich and the urban populations that supported them fighting the King and the old aristocracy joined by the poorest of the Kingdom who knew the King was their friend.

As usual money won against chivalry.

Even worse, a form of Puritanism seized power. These zealous men, led by Oliver Cromwell, wreaked havoc on Catholic Ireland, oppressed Catholic and high church Englishmen, but also ruled efficiently and increased the power of England. Cromwell found that the rich in parliament were no more cooperative with him than they had been with Charles and so he became dictator of England.

He was good at his job and for his lifetime he made England rich, powerful, and cheerless. Like all would be philosopher-kings, Cromwell wanted what was “best” for “his” people and Christmas and other foolishness was not best.

Cromwell got the words right to British power, but lost the music.

The worst mistake he made was to cooperate in the execution of the old King: Charles. Whatever his demerits as ruler, Charles was a gentleman and he died better than he lived. He conducted his own defense with wit and dignity until the show trial was over. On January 30, he wore double clothing to avoid shivering, the King did not wish anyone to think him afraid, laid his head on the block without a tremor, and died like a man. He said one word: “Remember!” and England remembered.

In death, Charles defeated Cromwell and guaranteed his sons would rule England.

So what can we learn? First, any “Christian party” generally isn’t very Christian the more partisan it becomes. The psalm singers of Cromwell’s army might not go whoring like the Royalists were apt to do, but they were also likely to destroy beautiful works of art, murder sinners with a holy zeal, and generally become insufferable prigs.

Milton made the best he could of them, but even he could not save them from centuries of literary shudders. The forces of Parliament had reasonable men, but the revolution drove them out of power. The radicals took over who could see no goodness in the “other side.”
I always fear the man who cannot understand why his neighbor might vote for Trump, or Hillary, or Jeb.

We need not compromise our values, but we must avoid extremism in defense of those values. Charles was a Christian king, but he was also a human king. He did not try to build the New Jerusalem in London or bring on Puritan Paradise.
Second, revolutionary change almost always makes things worse. We kill Charles for overreaching and ignoring Parliament and then Cromwell rules more despotically (even if more effectively) than any Stuart could dream. Kill Louis XIV, get Napoleon. Murder Nicholas II, and Stalin follows.

Americans are discouraged with good reason. Vice has been declared a right. Abortion is legal. African-Americans are murdered in our streets and racial justice is still a dream. And yet. And yet revolutionary change, a radical movement away from our time honored republican constitution of 1789, will almost surely make things worse.

We have sworn an oath to the Constitution and breaking that oath comes with consequences. England came to know this truth, repented, and just perhaps learned a valuable lesson.

If England did not know the even worse carnage that inflicted Russia when men in their arrogance decided that nothing could be worse than what they had, then perhaps it is because for hundreds of years, each Charlesmas, January 30, they would pray:

O Lord, our heavenly Father, who didst not punish us as our sins have deserved, but hast in the midst of judgement remembered mercy; We acknowledge it thine especial favour, that, though, for our many and great provocations, thou didst suffer thine anointed blessed King Charles the First (as on this day) to fall into the hands of violent and blood-thirsty men, and barbarously to be murdered by them, yet thou didst not leave us for ever, as sheep without a shepherd; but by thy gracious providence didst miraculously preserve the undoubted Heir of his Crowns, our then gracious Sovereign King Charles the Second, from his bloody enemies, hiding him under the shadow of thy wings, until their tyranny was overpast; and didst bring him back, in thy good appointed time, to sit upon the throne of his Father; and together with the Royal Family didst restore to us our ancient Government in Church and state. For these thy great and unspeakable mercies we render to thee our most humble and unfeigned thanks; beseeching thee, still to continue thy gracious protection over the whole Royal Family, and to grant to our gracious Sovereign Queen Elizabeth, a long and happy Reign over us: So we that are thy people will give thee thanks for ever, and will alway be shewing forth thy praise from generation to generation; through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen.

Culture

Previous Post

January 29, 2016

Caught by Jesus

Next Post

January 31, 2016 A Wee Little Man

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Apologetics Art Culture Education On Books On Education Philosophy Politics Pop Culture Spiritual Reflections Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 July 2025 June 2025 September 2024 July 2024 June 2024 December 2023 June 2023 September 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What was the name of the disciple who replaced Judas Iscariot?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Timothy Barnabas Silas Matthias

Books by This Author John Mark Reynolds

See All Titles »