with great inconvenience to walk to the exercises of their Devotion without the Wall of the City who agree with Lutherans in all the principal Doctrines of the Christian Faith and are together with them the common Butt of all the Impressions of the Papal malice which neglects nothing which might foment their division and thereby to walk on to solid means of their destruction Wherefore I conceive that the States of the Protestant Communion though of different belief in certain points ought unanimously to endeavour to cause an Article to be inserted in the said instrument of Peace which might for the future redress such Incongruities which whilst they continue can be only seeds of Divisions which both their proper Interest and their Charity oblige them to suppress continually in the Protestant Body But as all that appears in Christian Faith is commonly animated with the Spirit of Charity which engages us not only to adhere to what is our peculiar but to what respects our Brethrens interest especially theirs whom we cannot be ignorant to be actually in tribulation I think the aforesaid Protestant States should do a very heroick Act if by their mediation the interests of their poor Brethren might be regulated in such manner that at least the Emissaries of Rome might not have so ample matter whereupon to raise persecution against them For Example now for a whole Age Europe hath heard no discourse but of the disorders which from Time to Time have risen in high Hungary Silesia and other the Hereditary Countries of the House of Austria I commend not those of the Protestant Body of that Kingdom who for their private Interests or Ambition may be the cause of these revolts and seditions in those Countries but if a great part of those disorders arise from the discontents which the want of means to attend their spiritual Exercises do cause which without doubt is almost the only cause I conceive it were a work very pleasing to be able by humble Representations to his Imperial Majesty to cause him to establish an Order which might for the future banish from that Country all matter of discontent which I judge to be very feasible For if his Imperial Majesty shall consider the merits of all the Successors whom all the said Protestant State should leave behind them so that for Politick Reasons which engage him to prevent such disorders he would make an establishment for the future that so oft as in any Country or in any particular place Protestants should be found to a certain number and should desire to have a free exercise of their Religion they should be qualified to procure it without other Obligation then that of signifying by a simple act their number and desire to the Magistrate of the place I conceive that by such an expedient his Imperial Majesty might cut up the root of all those unhappy Revolts which engage him to extraordinary Expences and of the perpetual cares and alarms and other practices which the Court of Rom's Emissaries furnish and trouble him with to redress these mischiefs which are more proper to cast those Countries into flames then to establish their Repose as fatal experience of a whole Age cannot but have too well taught him And as the Peace which shall intervene will infallibly be an Universal Peace to all Christendom and so different Interests which concern its Tranquility may therein be regarded following still my intent which is to respect the extent and advantage of the Protestant Faith I must say that it will be of great Importance for the said Protestant States to obtain of his Catholick Majesty a Modification of the Instrument of the last Peace which France made with the Republick of the Grisons as touching the matter of the Reformed Religion in Chaveine and the Valtoline for the Inhabitants of both parts of that Religion who are in the said places though their Magistrates are for the greatest part reformed are obliged by a corruption inserted in the Treaty of Peace to walk at least three or four Leagues on the Lord's days to attend their Exercises of Devotion It is most certain that it is a considerable interest of his Majesty to consent to the Modification of this Article if he would preserve the Amity of this Republick and of this I have very precise knowledge for if the Abbot of St. Roman Embassadour for his most Christian Majesty in Switzerland in the Propositions he made to some of the Republick had been advised to let fall a word that the King his Master would consent to a free Exercise of the Reformed Religion in those places I know that the League of that Republick with the House of Austria had been in danger to be dissolved for thus I judge that this represented and maintained in such manner as it may by the Plenipotentiaries of the Protestant States it will not be absolutely impossible to annul this Article which will be of extraordinary consideration for the good of the Protestant Faith in that Quarter many good Souls which profess that Religion though they reside in Italy ardently desire this Consolation and this I can say of my certain knowledge But we have insisted long enough upon some Accessaries let us go to the Principal it is so common with very many Protestants of all Orders who enjoy peaceably according to their wish all conveniences temporal and spiritual not to be able to dispose themselves by the Principles of Charity to compassionate the miseries and afflictions of their oppressed Brethren that it is for this Reason that I have applied my self to make them know whereunto they are engaged in this particular for their temporal Interest But if in the first Point I have prospered somewhat to make known the connexion and indissoluble bond of Interests which the Providence of God hath established betwixt the subsistence of the Politick Interests of all the Potentates of Christendom and of the Protestants more especially with the re-establishment of the Protestant Party in France by the sincere Rehearsal which I am about succinctly to make of the miseries wherein that Body of our Brethren in that Kingdom are plunged I would shew the Protestant States for my second Head whereto their Pity their Charity and their Glory ought to engage them To make known sincerely the Estate of the Protestant Body in France I will not amuse my self in expounding what is publickly known to the greatest part of understanding persons who have travelled through that Realm or who have taken the pains to get some Information thereof I will content my self only to observe that the Emissaries of the Court of Rome having successively insinuated into the spirits of the Monarchs of this Nation that they could not think of advancing their Progress abroad till after they were solidly assured of all at home and that therefore it was necessary for them wholly to exterminate the Protestant Party out of their Kingdom this Counsel hath so strongly prevailed in the Councils
the most Illustrious Emperors as a Basilisk under his feet to transfer it to his Son or if indeed the Emperor's Children were more careful to observe the Law of God in this point than that of this man of sin and would not recede from the respect and obedience due unto their Father then to transfer it to the first ambitious person who could be found of a seditious humour his presumption being risen to that Insolency that he made not more difficulty in the quality of a Supreme Dispenser both of the Imperial and all other Crowns of Christendom than to dispose of them of an inferiour order albeit they were Hereditary for the most part in favour of whom he pleased of this Navarre affords us a living example which abides entire unto this day Passing by to avoid prolixity the Subsidies and burdensome Homages which have been established on the Kingdoms of England Poland Hungary Naples and Arragon as well as what they have endeavoured to execute on all the other States of Christendom this may suffice as seems to me to make all these States to see the Interest they have unanimously to oppose the progress of the Papacy so as to prove what I have above propounded what these proud Bishops have attempted upon the Temporal Dominion of all Christendom until the time aforesaid To prove what progress the same Bishops have made in their Usurpations upon the Spiritual Power it is sufficient to read their own Decretals and what they have been able to cause to be decreed in the greater part of the last Councils and to know the Doctrine which all the Sophisters of the Vatican do openly teach and Preach more or less according to the Places where they reside and which is universally received save in the Estates of the Republick of Venice in all the extent of Italy and in the Monarchy of Spain and hath taken but too pernicious roots in all other States where the Magistrate is of the Roman Communion And the Protestant States flatter themselves extreamly if they be perswaded That by the Progress which the work of Reformation hath made in Europe and the infeebling which in its process it hath caused in the Papal Power this Enemy is so far weakned that he is not to be feared any more for it is so far from being so that it is the more dangerous as well for its formidable Power wherein it still appears having in some degree abated its Politick Severity as not judging it necessary any longer since the checks that have befallen it by the advancement of the Reformation or Imprudence of some of its Bishops so also for that the Court of Rome is now more than ever rectified in its refined Policy to be able by imperceptible and secret ways to recover its self to its first glorious Lustre And being Rome cannot attain thereto but by the total ruine of its natural Enemies which consist as I have shewed above according to my supposition in the Protestant Party it is not to be admired if after this shock they have stirred every Stone to bring about the destruction of that party and that so long as there are any Roman Bishops Rome still labours it with all its forces and all its diligence For this reason when the Imperial House of Austria was in condition by its great Inheritances which successively fell to it in the two last Ages by its immense Indian Treasures by its greatness and dignity of the first and most considerable Monarchy of Christendom and by its numerous and formidable Armies to push on the Progress of its great and vast Designs of an Universal Monarchy The Court of Rome was subtle and happy enough to perswade it that it could not attain thereto but by taking on it the quality of its principal Protector and in being the cruel Executioner of the establishment of its Authority and all its freques France Germany Hungary Bohemia and the Princes of the Low-Countries know what Rivers of blood have flowed from this pretence and all Europe knows the enfeeblement which this Illustrious House hath brought on it self by being surprised by Maxims so little enlivened by the spirit of true Christianity and of so little Discretion and Judgment For this same Reason also Rome after it had served it self of the Puissance and Forces of this Imperial House so far as to have reduced it to an extenuation and feebleness capable to draw on its total destruction if the providence of God by the generous Succours of its Allies had not prevented knowing otherwise that this House was not any longer in condition to serve and advance its Projects but in the quality of a suffering Party and that its diminution seemed to give place to his most Christian Majesty by the formidable power of his Forces and his numerous Treasures to pursue with success the career of the Universal Monarchy Rome I say which hold for a Maxim from the time of its first progress to spend the Forces of the most puissant for its own Elevation hath been also crafty and fortunate enough to perswade this Monarch against all the Rules of a Judicious Policy that he could not attain his great and vast Designs but by attempting at the same time as the House of Austria had before done the ruine of the States and Protestant Religion in Holland and by taking contrived measures without the privity of His Majesty of Great Britain with many of his Subjects to re-establish the Romish Religion in England and also to ruine the Protestant Religion in Germany and all his own Dominions And to speak the truth this last enterprize which by this principle hath been in a great part managed by the Emissaries of the Court of Rome hath been so subtly conducted that it may be said nothing hindred his Majesty the most Christian King for many days but that by the surprise of Amsterdam after that of Utrich and Naerden he might have made himself in less than four Months absolute Prince of the principal part of the Seventeen Provinces of the Low-Countries and thereby to have become in one Campania the absolute Arbiter of all Christendom both at Sea and Land And those who more specially understand the errour of Estate which this Monarch hath made on this occasion may know somewhat of the true Reason of that great Traverse of State in particular which for my part I attribute to a formal Protection of the King of Kings who in his Supreme Councils had doubtless ordained otherwise of that affair and understand that if his Majesty after he had surprised Utrich and Naerden had sent only 500 Horse to Amsterdam it was probable that the Magistrate and Burgesses of that Town in the Consternation into which the Rapidity of his Conquests had put them would have delivered up the Keys and Gates thereof purely and simply into the hands of the Conquerour Yea I am assured from good hands the major part had concluded to send him them without staying
of these Monarks that since Cardinal Richelieux Ministry nothing hath been omitted to make it fully succeed For this purpose all the Bishops in every Diocess have had order to give Instructions to all the Parish Priests to hold an actual eye on all solid means to proceed unto this destruction and the Governours Counsellours and Intendents of the Provinces as well as all the Officers of Justice have had like order to concur with the Solicitations of those Bishops wherefore we need not admire at the Tribulation which these poor miserables do suffer for it is from these fomentations that we see dayly in all parts of that Kingdom Children rebel against their Parents Wives against their Husbands Vassals and Subjects against their Lords Houshold Servants against their Masters for what ever injury or violence is committed in these sorts of Rebellions he that embraceth the Religion of his Prince hath always reason on his side and he that persists in the Protestant Faith hath always wrong So that as it is very hard in a House to regulate every thing so well that there should not naturally arrive some accident betwixt the said Parties these Emissaries never loose any occasion directly or indirectly to bring about such Contests to kindle the fire more strongly and thence the heat more fiercely and if this succeeds to insinuate their Poyson Hereby it may appear what bitter potions the most happy and wise of the Reformed in Popish Dominions are forced to swallow More than two thirds of their Temples have been demolished within these ten years more than half their Colledges supprest No Protestant can have the least place in the Offices nor Troops of the King's Houshold and if in the common Troops persons of the highest merit rise to the place of a Lieutenant Colonel it is rarely seen that they pass farther What hath befallen the Mareschal Schomberg is not an Argument to prove that the French Protestants that deserve well may rise thither he is at present that Phenix which appears but once in an Age. But if any Protestant be so unhappy as to have any Suit against any Roman Catholick he may assure himself how little dubious soever his Cause is his Affair is lost If two Protestants have any Suits he that Apostotizeth is sure to carry it against him that persists in his Faith who shall never fail to loose his Cause But all this abovesaid is nothing at all to that which was provided for them if the Invasion of Holland had succeeded for warrant whereof I can alledge one of the most Heroick Princes of all Europe who read himself the Declaration ready provided and who thereupon was struck with an Horrour and spoke immediatly with liberty his thoughts upon that point to considerable Persons but the ill success of that Irruption and some other Respects have caused that Monster for the present to be laid up in due darkness First of all the King declared himself by this goodly Declaration Tutor of all the Infant Pupils of Protestant Fathers and so condemned all those poor unhappy Creatures to be sacrificed to the adoration of Idols In the second place all the Temples and Colledges of all the Royal or Episcopal Cities or places belonging to Catholick Lords were suppressed throughout all France In regard that by the Edict of Nantes every Lord having right of Fee-simple might have at his House the Exercise of Religion more or less extended according to the nature of his Fee by this Declaration it was expounded not to extend to any places but those which at the time of that Edict did belong to Protestant Lords now for that many Lords had since changed their Religion and the greater part of the Lands had by a natural vicissitude of things changed Masters thence it would have followed that no exercise of Religion in those Fees would have been preserved in that Kingdom though it be those only that so many as they be have in the furious overthrows of Protestant Temples made the Exercises of Religion to subsist abroad in the Country In the fourth place all the Chambers of the Edict or Miparties were by this Infamous Declaration suppressed and all the Mipartiâ—â— Mayoralties which were established in former times in favour of those of the R. Religion And to complete their misery by the same Declaration all Children born in Marriages not blest by the Priests of the Roman Communion after the publication of that Declaration were declared uncapable to succeed their Fathers and their Mothers in their Goods and Possessions Note that by a former Declaration all the Protestants in France who had received a blessing on their Marriage by the hands of a Priest of the Roman Communion with Abjuration in case they returned to communicate in the Exercises of the Protestant Religion wherein they were born were declared Relaps'd and their Goods Confiscate I forbear to set down here some other Articles not so considerable as the former which yet were no less unjust nor malicious the reading of the preceding seem sufficient to me whereby the more sound Party of the Protestants of Europe may examine as I do with all my heart intreat them the pernicious fare which the Papal Council had prepared for the Protestants of Holland at that very time wherein they pretended to make them submit unto the Dominion Protection or Discretion of France and that England and Sweden in particular may see the surprize which the Court of Rome by the Channel of France's Ministers had provided for them and the Iniquity of the Cause they have put themselves into a condition of protecting in authorizing the Irruptions Burnings and ambitious Enterprizes of France on the Low-Country Provinces and the Empire And all these States and all the People of their Dominions being instructed in their Interests which engaged them to sustain the cause of the Re-establishment of Liberty in France both Temporal and Spiritual which as to the second Head consists in the common cause of their Brethren in this Estate all these Benefits cannot be effected but by a positive Union of their good will and Forces I leave them to consider whether I had ground to insinuate this with all my power praying the good God with all the ardour of my soul that he would inspire into this Illustrious Body Sentiments and Resolutions of Piety and Glory such as a Cause so solid so just and so holy requires I finish the first part of my Discourse reserving my self to press home this matter more strongly assaying in good earnest to open the eyes of the Protestant Body in Europe to make them sensibly apprehend what they are to expect from their Enemies and what they are in condition to do by the Forces which God's providence hath put in their hand not only to deliver themselves from all these Judicious Apprehensions but also to become the indisputable Arbiters of the Fortunes of their Friends and Enemies PART II. The Error of Estate made by many Potentates