Short CONSIDERATIONS Touching The necessity and usefulnesse of some Agents, to correspond betwixt the protestant Churches in matters of publike Edification.
IT is certaine that since the Councell of Trent, Papists have taken up a joynt resolution to overthrow all Protestant states and Religion, either by open war, or policy, as occasion shall be offered. Of this Councell the Pope is head, and to compasse his ends, the Princes of his Faction, and all the Orders of his Clergy are set a worke: amongst the rest the Jesuits are the chiefe Agents, who although they be at variance in diverse particulars with others, yet in this they, and all the rest unanimously conspire, & with a great deale of Emulation strive to goe before one another.
2. It is knowne, that this purpose and aime is the [Page 2]chiefe matter of all their Cabinet Councels, and that in all their publike Treatise with Protestants, all of them by the instigation and suggestion of the Popes instruments, they labour to gaine ground upon us, and to this effect many speciall consultations have beene held at Rome by the Cardinals; and in all other places by the Bishops and Jesuites.
3. By their constant and joynt conspiracy in prosecuting of this purpose, they have wasted many flourishing Churches, and made them quite desolate, they have diminished the strength of many, and they have layed dangerous plots to subvert and trouble those that are yet in any good case.
4. Their proceedings are not taken to heart by the Protestants, neither is there any course observed to countermine their intentions; for which cause they are like to prevaile more and more. Chiefely, because the manifold divisions of Protestants which distract an I divide their intentions, and whereby they not onely neglect those Machinations, but also helpe unto their owne overthrow, whiles they persecute one another.
5. It is not possible as yet to unite the Protestant Counsels in this, that their Temporall heads should joyntly aime at the overthrow of Papistry, and combine themselves together, in some constant course, to oppose it by their power, and correspondency; which on the other side is long agoe effected.
6. Therefore seeing the outward, and publike means cannot yet be improved because of the Reasons of State, and the differences of Religions, and opinions [Page 3]amongst Protestants, it is worthy of consideration, whether or no any other meanes might not bee set a worke, which in a more spirituall manner might countermine their proceedings.
7. This meanes I conceive to be such, as might be able with the assistance of God, powerfully to support the truth of the Gospell, and by little and little joyn the intentions of the Protestants to correspond one with another in matters of mutuall edification, and in the communion of certaine duties, whereby the scandals which occasion the judgements of God, and their insensible overthrow be taken out of the way in due time.
8. The meanes to support powerfully the truth of the Gospell is, 1. to gaine the common consent of all Protestants to make a Fundamentall Confession of their Christian Religion, wherein they all shall agree, that by this meanes their Schismes may be taken out of the way. 2. To procure that a body of practicall Divinity may be compiled, and fitted to the capacity of learned and unlearned, that all things belonging to godlinesse and a good conscience, may be contained in it, and so be received by all parties without dispute, and become a meanes of publike edification in the Universities and Pulpits.
9. The meanes to gaine the Fundamentall Confession, and to procure the body of practicall Divinity, are not difficult, but may easily be attained by few Agents, who might make it their worke to solicite the chiefe Divines, and ablest men of all the Churches to correspond together to this effect. For [Page 4]if there were Agents maintained for Fundamentall Confession, thence peace and unity would arise, and if the practice of Piety were propagated, and urged, by this meanes the scandals would cease, and the Communion of Saints would be more and more entertained for mutuall edification.
10. Both these workes are already set upon by some, and consented unto by all, so that nothing is further requisite, then to continue by the agency of of some fit correspondents betwixt the Churches, the motion till it come to perfection, whereby (God willing) not onely the inward divisions of Protestants will come to an end, but also the truth of the Gospell will breake forth most invincibly to convince the consciences of Papists, who thinke that in the Protestant Churches there is neither Christianity, Unity, nor Piety, but meere Heresie, division, and prophane licentiousnesse.
11. For seeing it is certaine that Babilon will not fall by might or by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord of Hosts, Zach. 4.6. it seemeth that the onely meanes to set the Spirit of God a worke in the hearts of his Servants, and to give him some occasion to enter into the consciences of the Papists, is first to labour to unite the faithfull Preachers of the Gospell into a holy Communion, to perfect these most spirituall objects. And 2. to propose, by common consent in the name of all Protestants, the irrefragable truth of Christian Doctrine, and the undeniable duties of righteousnesse and holinesse, to convince the consciences of such Papists, as are not wilfully and Atheistically [Page 5]blind, that we maintaine not such abhominable errors as they father upon us, but that our Religion is the onely saving meanes of Salvation.
12. The necessity and usefulnesse of these two workes may be shewed in this, that they will prove the onely meanes of joyning the intentions of Protestants in one spirituall purpose, which is most of all others materiall in the furthering of the Gospell. 2. Of taking away publike scandals and offences which we give one unto another, and which Papists and Sects (not without some faire pretence) take at us all. 3. Of confirming saving truths. 4. Of propagating godlinesse, and beating downe impiety, superstition and ignorance, which by this meanes must needs fall to the ground as Dagon did before the Arke of the Covenant.
13. And indeed it may be wondred at, that hitherto among so many endeavours, for the good of the common cause in Religion, and in so great plenty of spirituall and temporall meanes, where so many well affected professors wish so earnestly for the prosperity of Sion, that this meanes hath not beene seriously thought upon and advanced, seeing it is the onely safe, laudable, commendable and infallible way to countermine the malicious practices of Papists, that seeke our overthrow with more diligence then we doe provide for our owne safety, and their conversion.
Now if there were but some hope to find a competent maintenance for the planting of a Seminary, (as it may be called) of a few Agents that apply their [Page 6]studies wholly to these enterprises, the meanes of bringing them to passe might be made so plaine that none should be able to doubt thereof, and besides this, there might be other matters joyntly intended by them, for the advancement of publike peace and all kind of solid Learning; which by themselves might deserve a peculiar Agency, if men knew the worth and consequence of them, or were zealous to further good workes of a publike nature, for the love of God and a good Conscience.