THE Neceſsity of ſome Neerer Con­junction and Correſpondencie amongſt Evangelicall Proteſtants, for the Ad­vancement of the Nationall Cauſe, and bring­ing to paſſe the Effect of the Covenant.

AS the deſperate and malicious Attempts of implacable Adverſaries to the true Reformed Religion within the three Kingdoms, is a moſt juſt and neceſſary Ground for all true Proteſtants, under the Authority of the State, to enter into a League and Covenant one with ano­ther, for their mutuall Defence, and the Preſervation of their Religion: So the Bond by which Religious ſouls in the profeſſion of the ſame Truth, through the Communion of Saints, are knit together in God, is a moſt Laudable, Lawfull and Powerfull Induce­ment to move them to pray earneſtly unto Almighty God, and to endeavour really, amongſt all Godly men, that all other Churches and States, either oppreſſed, or in danger to be op­preſſed by the ſame Antichriſtian Tyranny, may be brought unto the ſame, or the like Union and Covenant, for the En­largement of the Kingdom of Jeſus Chriſt; for their own Safety under the Ordinances of the Goſpel, and for the Pre­ſervation4 of Chriſtian Kingdoms and States from the Trou­bles and Ruines which the incroaching Power and ſubtill Plots of wicked Enemies do intend to bring upon them.

Theſe things being ſufficiently expreſſed, and fully inten­ded, the one in the Preface, the other in the Cloſe of the Na­tionall Covenant, (the firſt, to warrant the Undertaking; the ſecond, to confirm the proſecuting of this Religious Na­tionall work) do give me cauſe to make a Motion, which may, by Gods Grace, become an Effectuall means, not onely to help forward the Buſineſſe to this Period and Iſſue which may prove the finall Overthrow of Antichriſt in Europe; but alſo to open a way, through a neer Correſpondency and Conjunction of Proteſtants amongſt themſelves, to dilate the Bounds of Chriſts Evangelicall Church, ſo far, as to of­fer, in due time, the Light of Saving Truth both unto Jews and Gentiles, who as yet are in the ſhadow of Death and Darkneſſe.

Nor ought any to think that this Aim is too Vaſt and Large,Rom. 11. 〈…〉 ſeeing it is cleerly revealed to be Gods Will to bring it to paſſe: And it may be made apparant, that no Means are ſo likely and proportionate to produce ſuch an Effect, as theſe which are now in Gods hand, and moſt ſeaſonable to be ap­plied unto the fulfilling of the Covenant, and fitteſt to be rai­ſed upon the Endeavours neceſſary for our own Preſerva­tion.

For if any will rationally conſider the Troubles of all States and Churches in Europe, he may eaſily obſerve that they proceed Originally from three Cauſes. The firſt is, the Affectation of a Spirituall Abſolute Power over Mens Souls. The ſecond, an Abſolute Temporall Monarchy over Mens Eſtates and Bodies. And the third is, the want of Union and good Intelligence amongſt thoſe, who, labouring to free themſelves from the one and the other Yoke, and Maintain­ing their Religious and Naturall Rights and Priviledges in a diſtracted and confuſed way, rather weaken then ſtrengthen one anothers hands in all their Enterpriſes.

The Spirituall Abſolute Dominion over Mens Souls, is the5 Aim of the Pope and his Adherents; amongſt which, we muſt reckon our Lordly Biſhops.

The Abſolute Temporall Monarchy hath been the Aim of the Houſe of Auſtria, till Sweden and France came in to break his Strength and fruſtrate his Intentions; which they have done.

Theſe Papall and Auſtrian Deſignes, have divided the Affe­ctions of all Men in Europe; either in reſpect of Conſcience, or of Civill Intereſts. As for the Auſtrian Deſignes, they are no more henceforth Formidable: But the Papall Intenti­ons are deeper laid. Nor is the ſtrength of his Counſel and his way duely regarded; and therefore it is alſo Prevailing, be­cauſe not rightly reſiſted.

The Pope, in oppoſition to Proteſtancie, which hath al­moſt overthrown his Hierarchy, doth labour to preſerve himſelf, and regain, in the Unſettlement of Proteſtant States, and the Overthrow of their Churches, his former Power, chiefly in Germany, and in Great-Britain, the two principall Seats of the Proteſtant Religion.

His Way is twofold: The firſt Politicall, the ſecond Eccle­ſiaſticall. By the firſt, he doth Unite all Popiſh Princes in one Way and Counſell againſt thoſe Princes that he calls He­reticks; to weaken them, to corrupt their Counſells, and to keep them under, leſt they ſhould come to have the Mana­ging of Affairs to his diſadvantage. Thus he made the Prin­ces of Germany conſpire, contrary to all the Fundamentall Laws of the Empire, and Rights of Princes, to tranſlate the Electorall Dignity from the Palatine to the Bavarian Houſe, that the Proteſtant Voices might be Weakned in the Su­preme Colledge of State, and by that Means all Affairs ma­naged for the Advantage of Papiſts, who now have diſtribu­ted the States of Proteſtants amongſt themſelves, and to ſerve his Ends they maintain their own Intereſts.

By the ſecond, he divideth the Spirits of Proteſtants, and encreaſeth all the Diſorders and Confuſions which are a­mongſt them; partly by Emiſſaries of all ſorts, which he doth ſend forth; ſome out of his Colledges de Propaganda,6 ſome out of other Orders and Societies: partly by Treaties tending to patch up Matters of Difference under Generall Terms, wherein he may finde his Advantages. The Emiſſa­ries, they undermine the Affections chiefly of the Common ſort; And thoſe that are inſtructed to treat, deal Principally with ſuch as are in Places of Authority Civill and Eccleſia­ſticall, either to diſcover their Counſels, to diſappoint them; or to Corrupt their Inclinations, if they finde them Pli­able.

And all this the Papall Conclave doth proſecute, with un­defatigable Diligence, with innumerable Agents, with infinite Coſt and Charge, with all manner of Crafty Inſinuations, and fair Pretences, and with all the Zeal that the Opinion of Deſerving Heaven, and the Hope of Temporall Greatneſſe and Gain can breed in Superſtitious, in Ambitious, and in Covet­ous Mindes. Nor is there any, as yet, amongſt the ſeverall Bo­dies of Proteſtants, who is ſet to Watch over his ways, and to walk contrary to him for their Common Intereſt, labour­ing to diſappoint his Plots, by Means oppoſite to his De­ſignes.

This want of Conjunction of Proteſtants, not minding his Practiſes, hath given him a mighty Advantage againſt them: nor is it poſſible to Accompliſh his Overthrow, except this Fault be mended: nor can this Defect otherwiſe be mended, but by ſome neerer Correſpondencie of Proteſtants amongſt themſelves, for their mutuall Preſervation againſt his Enter­priſes.

Now to ſet this correſpondency on Foot, none have ſo great cauſe, and ſo good an opportunity as the Britiſh Nation, and this preſent Parliament of England. For all the Popiſh power of Europe is now ſtirred up, and bent to hinder that work of Reformation, which they have taken in hand: there­fore they may juſtly and ought alſo to move all Proteſtants to joyne with them as in a Common cauſe, wherein they are all joyntly concerned. Now to bring this to paſſe, as already by Vertue of the Nationall Covenant, there is a Tye betwixt the Nations, and in the Committee of both Kingdomes, and Aſ­ſembly7 of Divines, there is a door opened to ſettle a further courſe of brotherly correſpondency, as well in Temporall as Spirituall Matters, between the Britiſh Churches: ſo by vertue of the laſt clauſe of the ſame Covenant, and by Reaſon of the Joynt both Spirituall and Temporall Intereſts, which all Pro­teſtant Churches have in Common, and ought to follow ſoci­ably for their mutuall Safety and Edification, there may and ſhould be a further tye of Religious Communion betwixt the Britiſh and their Neighbour Proteſtants beyond the Seas, be­cauſe the truth of Religion cannot well be preſerved in the one, without the concurrence of the other. Therefore ſome courſe of correſpondency in Spirituall matters ſhould be ſet­led and thought upon to move Neighbours to joyne in Coun­cels with us, and in ſome concurrent endeavours to croſſe the Practiſes of the common enemy. And to make theſe Coun­cills and endeavours more effectually conſiderable and really profitable, to the Proteſtant cauſe in forraigne parts, it would be of great uſe to take the Palatine cauſe in hand which hath a direct influence upon all forraign Proteſtants, and wherein the Papall faction doth moſt directly oppoſe abroad, the In­creaſe of our Religion. For ſeeing this houſe hath for the de­fence of the Proteſtant Religion ſuffered the loſſe of all, it is juſt that they which will own the cauſe of Religion, ſhould intend to make it conſiderable againe, and the head of the common Intereſt among forraigners in oppoſition to Popery and the Auſtrian deſignes.

And to do this, ſome of the Committee of both Kingdoms with ſome Divines of the Aſſembly, joyned to them by Order of Parliament, might be appointed to aſſiſt the Prince Elector in Councill, as a more ſpeciall Committee for the advance­ment of this deſigne, to which effect alſo ſome Agents might be ſubordinate to them, and joyned to them, to Negotiate the Work abroad, preparatorily, till a more perfect league might be framed with Forraigners.

Now to lay a ſure foundation for ſuch a correſpondency (whether it be intended with a reſpect to him or no, (there is no better way, then to begin with the Churches of the Low-Countries,8 our next Neighbours, and therein with a ſettle­ment of the Britiſh Churches in theſe parts, that in the Commu­nion of Spirituall Councells, tending to the publike good and proceeding from the Aſſembly of Divines by Order of Parlia­ment unto the Britiſh Churches in the Nether-lands, the Chur­ches and Divines (together with us) of theſe parts may be drawn to a concurrence in ſtrengthning of the hands of other Proteſtants, who have born the weight of perſecution theſe many years in Germany, and yet lye under the burden of many preſſures, which are utterly like to oppreſſe them if no reme­dy be found.

This Brotherly correſpondency with the Churches of the Low-Countries, as it might advance greatly the Councills of Eccleſiaſticall Reformation now in hand in England, and be a great ſtrengthning unto all the Proceedings and Reſolutions of Parliament tending that way: ſo it would mainely ſonder the affections of all men, and draw their hearts to the love of the cauſe, and conſequently facilitate all the Parliamentary Civill undertakings for the ſettlement of publike affaires; it would diſhearten or diſappoint all the Plots and endeavours of our enemies abroad, whereby they labour to make our Neighbours diſaffected with us, and clog the ſupplies of help which would otherwiſe proceed more readily for our releefe then now they do. And in a word, it would through the meanes of ſpirituall Union and holy Communion (which God hath recommended to be carefully entertained by his children in going about his Work) draw down a powerfull bleſſing from heaven upon all our undertakings.