1. THe first is, If Protestants be not reconci­led together, it will be impossible to prevent the utter ruine of their Chur­ches, and overthrow of their States in Germanie: For the maxime of States which Christ teacheth is infallible; Every kingdome (saith hee) divided against it selfe, is brought to nought; and every citie (or house) divided against it selfe, shall not stand.

Whence then the Apostles inference followeth, and is found by experience dolefully true, That when wee bite and devoure one another, we shall (if we take not heed) be consumed one of another. Therefore we must lay this for a fundamentall conclusion, Except the ground of evill (which is the distance of mens spirits, either opposite, or estranger'd one from another for [Page 2] matters of Religion) be taken away from amongst Protestants, that their affections will be alwaies divi­ded, their intentions will never be brought together, their counsels will never either fundamentally or ef­fectually concurre, and consequently, no confedera­tion nor conjunction in reall indeavours will ever be brought to any purpose amongst them. And with­out this, I may freely say, that there is no humane ap­pearance of any safetie for the state of Protestants in Germanie.

2. In the second place, it is evidently knowne, That the house of Austria, doth settle a forme of go­vernment in the Empire conformable to the Spanish Maximes of State, which will introduce a most abso­lute and unlimited power of the Emperour over all the free States and Princes in Germanie; that when hee shall be able to command the strength of that vast body at his owne will, hee may be able by it to con­quer the rest of the Europian States, and so erect his intended Monarchie.

Which because nothing can so much hinder, as the publicke profession of the Protestant religion; there­fore they have concluded a totall extirpation there­of, together with the impoverishing and desolation of the Protestant States: To which effect these means have been, and are still practised:

• 1. All is done that can be done, to keepe the Pro­testant Princes, and great houses in perpetuall divisi­ons one against another within the Empire.
• 2. The State of Religion sub utraque in Bohemia hath been persecuted, together with the strength of the Protector thereof, the Prince Elector Palatine.
• 3. The Schisme of the Churches amongst the other [Page 3] Protestants hath been carefully fomented, not onely by the practise of unconscionable Divines, who have beene hired to maintaine the pretences of a funda­mentall difference betwixt the Reformed and the Lutheran Religion, which in substance are but all one; but also by the establishment of priviledges and pro­mises made unto the Lutherans alone, that the Re­formed being excluded from the same, the occasion of envie and disputes, should never be wanting a­mongst them, no lesse for worldly, then for spirituall causes.
• 4. Lastly all possible endeavours, have been used to keep off a reall concurrence of intentions, betwixt foraigne States and the Princes of Germanie, lest they should be supported with militarie assistance, as in a common cause they ought to be.
• 5. These being the meanes, by which Protestants are now extremely weakned, the Austrians will bee able in processe of time to overthrow the same quite, and gaine all their own ends, if no course be taken to worke against them.

And to doe this, no way will ever be effectuall, either to stop their proceedings, and to preserve these remnants, and recover the losses, but that which is most fit to unite the spirits of Protestants amongst themselves: And nothing so fit to doe this as the composition of their differences about Religion, which have occasioned all these distractions, for which the house of Austria hath hitherto prevailed.

3. The first ground and fundamental occasion of this warre is the matter of Religion, in respect it is different from Poperie: for we know that hereupon the quarrell did first arise, and now we see that the [Page 4] Austrians re-establish the same in all places which they conquer; Hence then it followeth, that the cause will be quitel oft, and in effect given over, if once the first intention of mainteining the state of Religion be laid aside: If the worke of Ecclesiasticall reconcilement (without which the publick profession of religion cannot well stand) be not aimed at and prosecuted as it ought to be.

4. Seeing God hath honoured most of the Prote­stant Princes, and chiefly the Palatine house, to suffer thus much, and to be brought thus low, for the cause of Religion, which is most put at; therefore we may firmely conclude that he will raise againe the Pala­tine house, and the other Princes which have suffered for his Churches sake, if they leave not the cause; for it is certain that he will at last raise his Church, because it is impossible that shee should fall so, as to lie for ever. Now when this shall come to passe, then hee will also re-establish those that have suffered for the same, and have remained faithfull unto him constant­ly unto the end: and although they should faile him, yet he cannot deny himselfe; or be failing to his own cause.

But in a case of their falling away (as Mordecai said to Esther, 4.13, 14.) Deliverance will be wrought ano­ther way, because Gods worke depends not upon the counsels and endeavours of men, but such as hee pleaseth to make use of; for his service depends upon the issue of his worke. Therefore if ever he raiseth the house Palatine, and other Princes againe, hee will certainly use no other meanes to doe it, but the mat­ter of Religion, for which they have suffered: And indeed, in all humane appearance, it is impossible [Page 5] that the house Palatine can henceforth be in any safe­tie and splendor, without the re-establishment of Religion. For, to speake rationally, there is no hu­mane appearance of possibility, that it should receive any powerfull support from any, nor can it expect credit or estimation by any, but from, and by those that are now in the same case with it selfe, who by reason of their opposition to the house of Austria's power, and prevailing intentions, must resolve to stand and fall together with it.

Therefore if the Protestant Princes intend their own restitution and preservation, they must needs al­so intend the re-establishment and conservation of the reformed Churches in Germanie; and ought, as I supppose, to make this intention no lesse a funda­mentall reason of State in all their conjoint or seve­rall proceedings, then the house of Austria maketh the opposite intention fundamentall unto it selfe.

And to doe this, there is none other way so likely, or so sure to doe good, or so safe without danger, or so lawfull and laudable before. God and man, as this is, of procuring a reconcilement of differences in Re­ligion, that the body and cases of all Protestants being made one and the same, their unitie may be their strength, and their Religion may be their preservati­on: because God hath promised, that when we shall seeke first his kingdome, and the righteousnesse thereof, that then all other things shall be added unto us.

5 The leaders of a weake partie, cannot be other­wise supported, then in making themselves conside­rable by winning the affections and hearts of the Common people: And to doe this, nothing is more fit in its owne nature, or at this time more seasonable, [Page 6] then to undertake and follow out the cause of Reli­gion, in a way which is unblameable, tending to brotherly love and reconciliation.

6 A generall peace is sued for, but, except this uni­tie of Protestants amongst themselves be really ta­ken to heart, it is not like that ever it will be obtai­ned, or being granted, safely and inviolably kept.

But if this businesse can once be brought unto some perfection, no doubt but it will daunt the Au­strians more, then any thing which can be attem­pted, and consequently will be a greater meanes of peace then any thing else.

7 To oppose the Austrian and Papall designes a­gainst Protestants, no course more rationall and ef­fectuall can be devised, then to crosse the intentions of those counsels, whereby they get their greatest advantages. Seeing therefore that it is most cleere, that their chiefest advantages arise from the division of Protestants amongst themselves for matters of Religion, it followeth, that no course can be taken in hand more fit to oppose them, then to heale these breaches whereby they have prevailed.

8 Lastly God doth require those whom hee hath established in places of eminent authority, that they should be carefull to imploy themselves and make use of their eminency in his service: Now his service is nothing else, but to doe good to the mysticall body of his Sonne Jesus Christ, which is his Church. For all the dignitie which is bestowed upon men, is given to this end, that Gods kingdome may be advanced in their greatnesse.

Therefore this dutie is to be taken to heart, not onely for worldly reasons, but also for conscience [Page 7] sake, as being an obligation laid by God upon the places of great men: For such as are honoured by God with the first places above all other men, are ob­liged reciprocally to honour him in the first places of their thoughts; which if they doe, he hath promi­sed to adde more honour unto them.

Those that honour me (saith the Lord) I will honour, and hee that despiseth mee shall be lightly esteemed. To this purpose then, the words of the Prophet Azariah, 2 Chron. 15.2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. spoken to King Asah, may be at this time fitly applyed to all Protestant Princes: Heare me (saith he) Asah and all Judah and Benjamin: The Lord is with you while yee be with him, and if yee seeke him, he will be found of you; if yee forsake him, he will for­sake you: Now for a long season Israel hath beene without the true God, and without a teaching Priest, and without Law: But when they in their trouble did turne unto the Lord God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them. And in those dayes there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the Country, and Nation was destroied of nation, and Citie of citie, for God did vex them with all adversities: Be strong therefore, and let not your hands be weake, for your worke shall be rewarded.

These are the words of the Prophet: From whence we observe, that when the afflictions of the Church are greatest, then the opportunitie of working, and gaining a full reward is most seasonable.

Therefore this is a dutie unto which all Prote­stant Princes and States-men are bound, not only for reasons of State, but also by reason of conscience; for this is the only thing that God doth regard in all men, namely what they intend to doe for conscience unto him: For if we serve God for other end, then for [Page 8] himselfe, although wee doe his worke, yet it is not thanks worthy; neither can a blessing upon any other undertaking be hoped for, except this businesse also be heartily intended.

For God that seeth the hearts, doth blesse men ac­cording to their secret intentions towards himselfe, which he knoweth best. God is just and as wee deale with him, so he deales with us, with the pure, he shew­eth himselfe pure, and with the froward, he sheweth himselfe froward, and doth reward every man according to the clea­nesse of his hands in his eye-sight. Let us look to David; he did prosper, because God was with him: And why was God with him? Because his heart was with God in uprightnesse: He testifieth himselfe that this was the cause of his deliverances, Psal. 18.16. to 27.

And afterwards, when hee was come to the king­dome, What care had he to bring Gods Arke into his Citie? Nay, what zeal had he for the house of God, that it might be built, when he made a solemne vow never to rest, till hee knew the place which God would appoint for the building of it? And this was that which God regarded in him, and rewarded. For he had no sooner intended to build an house unto God, but God revealeth his intention towards him, that he would establish his throne and house for ever.

Thus then God is a faithfull master to faithfull servants, and rewardeth carefully all good endeavours taken up for his Name sake: Therefore it is cer­taine, he will be mindfull of those that minde his Church, he will honour those that honour his cause, hee will have good intentions towards those, that meane uprightly with him, and hee will invinci­bly maintaine such as, by suffering for him, have mainteined the truth of the Gospel: From all which considerations we may thus conclude, that except the [Page 9] worke of Ecclesiasticall reconcilement be seriously in­tended, all these evils will follow:

• First, the Protestant Churches and States over­throw will be inevitable in Germanie.
• Secondly, the Austrian absolute government will take effect over it.
• Thirdly, the true cause for which the war was un­dertaken will be quite deserted.
• Fourthly, the sufferings of the Protestant Princes will be (which God forbid) remedilesse, and the State thereof irrecoverable.
• Fiftly, the affections of all men will decay, and be lost from the Leaders of the cause.
• Sixtly, a generall peace will never either be obtai­ned, or kept inviolable.
• Seventhly, the Austrian, and Papall designes will not be directly opposed.
• Eighthly and lastly, the chiefe dutie to which all Protestant Princes are bound in conscience towards God, will be wholly neglected, for which cause grea­ter judgements will seaze upon them.

But to prevent all those evils, the establishment of Religion in Germanie, by the composure of Ec­clesiasticall differences, will be a meanes usefull and sufficient.