but whilest the Austrians are before which devour Protestants with open mouth and false brethren behind which undermine their counsels their heads are brought very low their state is overthrown their Church is darkened their land is burnt up and the people thereof is as the fewel to the fire yet for all that scarce any Protestant Divine or States-man spareth his brother but he snatcheth on the right hand and is still hungry and eateth on the left hand and is not yet satisfied every man eateth the flesh of his own arm or strengtheneth his adversaries with the overthrow of his brethren Manasseh is against Ephraim and Ephraim against Manasseh and they both are against Judah and what the end of this will be God alone doth know Neither is there any that seemeth hitherto to have taken this matter so seriously to heart as the importance thereof doth require for although these thoughts of Reconcilement are now become of absolute necessity yet many do not apprehend them to be of such a nature Neverthelesse to me sure it is that if the desire to preserve both Church and State be at this time necessary to a conscionable and honest mind and if this desire cannot be attained without a confederation and conjunction of divided spirits nor this conjunction either be procured or faithfully maintained except the ground thereof be laid in the hearts of Clergy-men then it followeth that both to facilitate and to confirm the civill confederation this work of Ecclesiasticall Reconcilement is not onely seasonable but of absolute necessity to be undertaken and although there were none other circumstance but this to move an honest heart to think upon this matter this alone ought to suffice But besides this there is another circumstance of seasonablenesse arising from the preparatives made already in the minds of men towards the effect of reconciliation for it is most true that all mens thoughts in all Churches and States are already stirred up and wrought upon in some measure to this effect insomuch that there is scarce any but he hath some impression concerning the effect of this Negotiation True it is that some fear it some hope for it some doubt what to think of it and some laugh at it all these howsoever well or ill affected are already prepared in some sort unto the further agitation of the businesse for whatsoever the disposition of their mind be it is no great matter for this time present because it sufficeth to make the work seasonable that there be some kind of reall impressions and thoughts reflecting upon it If their impressions and thoughts be good it is so much the better if they be indifferent yet because they are thoughts of such a work the mind is disposed towards the effect thereof which will not be found unseasonable unto them if they be rather evil then good that is if they either despise it as a matter too meanly undertaken by one of no appearance or despair of it as a matter of too great difficultie yet it is not unseasonable to deal with them in it although it were for none other cause then to rectifie their judgements in these conceptions which concern both the manner of proceeding which is thought to be disproportionate unto such an end and the matter which is thought to be of so great weight that it cannot be heaved if at last they be wholly evil that is if they fear either the effect of peace it self or my person and negotiation in it then it is most of all not seasonable onely but even necessary also to deal with them that their needlesse fears may be corrected and better impressions wrought upon them lest they be moved through jealousies for sinister and private ends to hinder these proceedings either by neglect of duties requisite or by crosse courses secretly or openly taken in hand Thus seeing mens spirits are wakened up and a reall expectation is raised in their minds of some thing which may be done in this work it is seasonable to entertain the same by such a continuance of agitation in this matter which may rectifie the evil prevent the worst and strengthen the good affections And thus much of the seasonablenesse of the time The consideration of the place is of no small moment in the production of all things because it is a matrix wherein the seed of every thing is conceived which most commonly according to its fit or unfit disposition either marreth or maketh the shape of that which is brought forth Therefore if this place I mean Hamburgh and Lubeck be rightly considered it will be found in two respects most fit for the agitation of this work First in respect of the situation that these cities are in the middest of all Protestant States and most convenient to entertain correspondence with all others of both sides not onely because they are as a centre amongst the rest but chiefly because they have perpetuall occasions of conveyance to all quarters so that at one time information may be given to all parties of every occurrence that may fall out Secondly in respect that these are free cities not onely free for all persons to resort unto safely from all quarters without all jealousies and outward respects prejudiciall unto the work but also fitted with certain Divines of speciall use by whose means if they be once gained to the cause all the rest of Germany may without all difficultie be wrought upon Lastly the persons considerable fit to be made use of both here elswhere are all such Divines as follow one John Arnd formerly generall Superintendent at Luneburgh who hath laboured with good effect to draw the minds of Lutheran Divines from disputes unto the thoughts of a godly life These men are all zealous for peace and spare not to bear witnesse against the unconscionable and partiall dealings of many of their own Clergy And besides these other known prudent and moderate men who are in eminent places of authority can be made use of amongst which the Lord Chancellour of Denmark Frise and the Lord Chancellour of Holstein Ravenelow and my Lord Rosencrants and others as well here in Hamburg and Lubeck and elsewhere can be set a work towards their own Clergie to take off the edge of their spirits in many things with most of whom acquaintance is either made already or may be made by fit addresse hereafter IV. Of the particular intentions and endeavours which I ought to undertake to advance the effect of these Negotiations VVHen I begin to think of my self and of the endeavours which I have already undertaken and which I ought and may further undertake two things represent themselves unto me First what the inward purposes and resolutions of my mind ought to be towards the work Secondly what outward undertakings must follow thereupon to gain the effect intended As concerning the resolutions and purposes of my mind they were settled before I came out of Sweden in these particulars First that
I should never leave the thoughts of this work so long as I live Secondly that I should intend it for it self and keep it free from being subordinate to particular politick ends Thirdly that I should follow none other wayes in prosecuting of it then such as are most answerable to the Gospel of Christ and may be made use of without all occasion of dispute strife and scandall To these and to some other resolutions subordinate to these I am bound by a solemn vow which vow cannot be retracted nor altered Therefore if I purpose to keep my promise conscionably I am bound to dedicate my self wholly unto the effect of the work with a purpose not onely to entertain my self speculatively with this object of meditation but rather to endeavour effectually the work it self at least so long as I can by any lawfull means possibly subsist to proceed in it I suppose then I have here a task for my whole life and therefore will make no haste to rid my self of it nor ever think of being weary or of taking any other thing in hand which is not either collaterally helpfull or subordinate unto it For when I enter seriously within my self to consider what course of life I must from henceforth follow that I may be able to perform the vows and promises which I have made unto Almighty God I find that I must resolve before all things to be no more mine own man in any thing but a servant to the work and to such as will help to further it whereupon this consequence followeth that as I must resigne and give up my self unto the work so I must resolve to be at full libertie and free from all other occasions obligations and relations which may divide and distract my thoughts from it Having thus settled the main businesse which doth concern my conscience when I reflect afterward upon particulars I find that to concurre effectually with the work of a civill Confederation I must propose unto my self this distinct scope namely to labour to dispose the spirits of the Clergie of both sides but chiefly of the Lutherans to have good and moderate thoughts of their neighbours and friends the Reformed Churches For indeed though both sides be in some things faulty yet the chief fault lieth in the spirits of some Lutheran Divines who either through ignorant zeal or forwardly ends disturb the peace of Protestants And the way which they take to do it is none other but a pretext of maintaining truth against Calvinists under which name all Reformed Churches are meant who are said to be guilty of most damnable heresies Therefore to moderate this untoward affection this pretext must needs be taken away And to do it the chief Lutheran Divines must be made really sensible that the Reformed Churches are not guilty of heresie but are in very deed true Evangelicall Christians and sound Professours of the Gospel which thing although it be no difficult matter in it self to be made good yet it will prove a task of no easie performance to make Lutherans so farre obliged to take notice of this truth that they shall not be able any more to decline the acknowledgement thereof Now to gain this purpose some treaty must needs be intended with the Lutheran Clergie and it must be a peaceable treaty void of all occasion of jealousie and offence but how this treaty may be drawn on by what means and manner of proceedings it must be prosecuted How the preparations thereof may be negotiated How the difficulties which are or will be incident to these proceedings may be overcome are things now to be thought upon before the work it self be further undertaken Concerning the way how to draw on insensibly these treaties I Have hitherto professed my self like a publick Solicitor of peaceable counsels betwixt both parties to see what good inclinations either were or might be wrought upon the spirits of Clergy men in this age towards their mutuall edification in duties belonging to the Communion of Saints How much my solicitation hath stirred them up to these thoughts and how farre they are prepared to admit or not to admit of peaceable propositions it is not fit for me to declare I hope hereafter the effect it self shall speak But seeing I am resolved still to continue and to proceed to win by little and little and draw on the Lutheran Clergy towards friendly and peaceable affections I conceive that it cannot be otherwise brought to passe then by such proceedings as hitherto I have used Whereof the first step hath been alwayes a free unpartiall and unblameable conversation with the chief Divines to make acquaintance with them When acquaintance is made the next step is to come by degrees insensibly to insinuate matters of mutuall edification in making them sensible of such duties of Christianity which are most necessary at this time to be set upon by men of conscience and charitie By this means the inclinations and dispositions of their minds will either if they be good break forth and discover themselves or if they be raw and untoward will be in some part prepared towards further thoughts of this nature This being done a man may draw somewhat near the subject of peace and mutuall reconcilement in making them think of the great inconveniences of schismes and divisions amongst Protestants and of the great good which might redound to all Christians if the true causes and originall motives of such differences might really be taken out of the way as well by settling mens judgments in the truth of Christian Religion which are wholly undoubted as by bringing their will to affect the main duties wherein the publick and Ecclesiasticall profession thereof consisteth Of which duties the first ground doth seem to be this That all men and chiefly Divines are bound in conscience to intend truly and professe openly a desire and willingnesse to be at peace with peaceable neighbours and That they ought to account peaceable neighbours such men as not onely study to be void of offense towards others but also desire to entertain love and friendship with them These principles being proposed and wrought upon the minds of some of their Leaders it might be tryed whether or no they could be brought to declare and promise that they will concurre in thoughts and treaties by which the grounds of former and the cases of future scandals and contentions might be taken away from amongst Protestants If then they should not be averse from such a motion they might be brought by degrees forward First To entertain private thoughts by themselves concerning the possibilitie of advancing such treaties Secondly To communicate such thoughts to others which shall be found desirous to conferre without prejudice about this matter with them Thirdly To heare the proposals of others and declare how farre they agree or disagree with the same that means may be thought upon by which difficulties and incident causes of disagreement at the treatie may either be
Head is to be observed in the conjunction of these two endeavours that the end thereof may be obtained I suppose this question will be answered if these things were opened First What each of these works is being considered in it self Secondly What relation each work hath to the other Thirdly What considerable circumstances are to be taken notice of to discern what may chiefly be done in the spirituall part of the work at this time And lastly What particular endeavours may further the joynt effect thereof in this negotiation 1. Of the properties of each work by it self THe properties chiefly observable in the work of Ecclesiastical reconciliatiō are these That it must be wrought by spirituall men by spirituall means in such a manner as may neither scandalize the weak nor give advantage to the captious and towards such a scope as may be free from the imputation of all manner of partialitie and answerable to the edification of all men that make profession of Christianitie This scope of the work being well conceived will determine all the rest of the properties thereof because they are and must be subordinate unto it Therefore we must begin with it And to do so what if we should say thus That the scope of Ecclesiasticall What the scope of Ecclesiasticall reconcilement is reconcilement sought for amongst Protestants ought to be the establishment and encrease of godly and brotherly love between themselves and all other men through the common and publick acknowledgement profession and practice of that truth and those duties which are necessary and sufficient for all souls to attain thereby unto salvation From And to whom it may reach this scope none are expressely to be excluded of whom there is any hope For although in the work wherein Protestants seek to be at peace amongst themselves their immediate aim is their mutuall edification lest continuing to bite and devour one another they should be in the end consumed one of another yet their chief and last intention ought not to rest in their own particular benefit but should be raised to an universall good and upright meaning towards all men that can possibly receive it or may become willing to partake thereof Thus then the passionate affection of some which are chiefly set upon the work rather for a private advantage and to exclude their professed adversaries from all means of Christian unitie peace then to win and save all is not to be allowed of because in true Christianitie there is no partiality but the good which we for our own selves seek in Christ Jesus ought to be made so far as in us lyeth common to all men and we in seeking it ought not to intend our selves onely but should crave it of God and apply it also unto others For this was the mind of Christ in procuring all his Fathers benefits unto us as the Apostle sheweth Rom. 15. v. 1 to 8. and Phil. 2. v. 1 to 9. When this scope is really intended and well scanned it will discover And what men and means must be used to attain unto it what kind of spirituall men ought to go about it and chiefly to be dealt withall in it what kind of dispositions and learning they ought to have what kind of means must be made use of as well in dealing with men that are averse from peace as also in rectifying the effect thereof with such as are peaceable and lastly what cautions ought to be observed in the manner of proceeding to make use of these means and to ratifie that effect that the inconveniences of two extremes may be avoyded namely of the weak Christians on all sides lest they stumble and be offended at these proceedings and of the malignant adversaries lest they take occasion to disgrace the work and speak evil of the truth of godlinesse and of all Religion Of all these properties belonging to this work and arising from the main scope thereof much may be said and must be thought on hereafter when it shall be seasonable to speak of particulars Therefore at this present we will not go further in this subject then to take notice That such men are only fit to be set upon this work which have universall thoughts and are not wedded to any singular course of this age That such means must be applyed to the work which in theorie and practice are undoubted fundamentals of salvation and clearly known in the consciences of all honest men to be matters without all controversie And that the manner of applying these means to the work to ratifie the effect thereof must be fitted First towards the And how they must be applyed in the work weaker sort of Christians with such a stooping unto them in true carefulnesse lovingnesse and lowlinesse of spirit and with such an accommodation of all matters unto their capacitie by the clear insinuations and fit gradations of proposals that they may rest satisfied and no wayes troubled in conscience at doubts which will be incident Then in the second place That towards the captious evil-willers of the work the manner of proceeding must be with such evidence and demonstration of truths proposed and without all offensivenesse in proposing the same unto them that if it be possible they also may either be gained or else made ashamed of their malitiousnesse when they shall not be able to find any advantage against the proceedings These are summarily the properties and conditions requisite to attain the effect of Ecclesiasticall reconciliation if it be considered by it self The properties of the other work being also looked upon in it self seem chiefly to be these That it The properties of the civill consideration being once undertaken by faithfull and worthy States-men by means of supreme authoritie it must be brought to passe and confirmed in such a manner as may neither prejudge the fundamentall reasons of any particular State nor give any advantage to the common enemies to discover and crosse the counsels thereof and for such an end as is justifiable before all men in the way of conscience of reason and of naturall defence Which being done a course also must be taken by good correspondencie to maintain the league once confirmed Now from this end of the league all the properties requisite in the Authours Means and Manner of proceeding can be gathered because the properties of every thing intended define the middle causes fit to purchase the same If then the end of this negotiation must be to And the scope thereof stirre up a necessary mutuall care and to establish a conjunction of endeavours amongst all Protestants for the preservation of the liberties and rites civill religious and Ecclesiasticall of Protestants in Germany lest the house of Austria lay for it self a foundation of an universall Monarchy in their ruines then it may be conceived by what persons and means the confederation may be sought for how it should be brought to passe and what will be
requisite to confirm it amongst those that have interest in the cause which are all such to whom the house of Austria is or will be either intolerable or dreadfull in these present conquests Concerning which things it is out of mine element to speak at large And therefore I will rest in these generalities which I mention onely to intimate that it is not onely possible to frame and confirm such a league amongst Protestants if they be not altogether insensible of their own dangers but also feasible enough and not very difficult if the true relation which the one work must have to the other in their necessary concurrence be rightly observed and instruments imployed about the same 11. Of the relation which the one work hath to the other IN the beginning was shewed that the civill league dependeth upon the work of Ecclesiasticall reconcilement as the body doth upon the soul Now we may say on the other side again That the Ecclesiasticall work dependeth upon the civill confederation as the soul upon the body For indeed betwixt soul and body there is a mutuall dependence so that the one is not so apparently subsisting without the other Therefore it may be concluded That except the body of a civill confederation be intended and sought for the work of Ecclesiasticall reconcilement will never come to a publick and visible estate of ratification no more then our souls are to be seen without their naturall bodies yet because the souls of men have by themselves also a being and subsistence without their bodies it is manifest that spirituall things which have a relation unto mens souls ought not to be suspended from their bodyly conditions but may and should be sought for by themselves From whence it followeth that the work of spirituall reconcilement should be agitated although the other be not intended that yet this must not be made an appendix thereof but taken up for it self as a businesse standing upon its own principles tending to its own end which is the advancement of Gods kingdome and which may run along in its own channels together with the other work even as the arteries which are conduits of the vitall spirits concurre together in one body with the veins thereof which contain the masse of blood I suppose then that the Authours of both works their endeavours means and manner of proceedings ought to be not onely conjoint but also in some cases dependant each upon other yet so that there be no confusion and commixture of the chief aims of the principles of the fundamentall proceedings by which each work is to be perfected For each work having its own aim it s own principles and wayes distinctly to be used in and for its self must needs have also its own Authours and Actours distinguished which neverthelesse must not onely correspond together and do things with mutuall knowledge but also assist and help one another with advice and addresse in matters of moment that when either hopes and likelihoods appear both may know each others advantages or when difficulties either way are incident preventions may be both wayes used lest from the circumstances of the one some inconveniences might reflect upon the other Therefore the undertakers of both works before they enter in agitation ought to preconceive their plots and make an agreement together concerning the manner of their relative proceedings chiefly in those cases wherein it may be conjectured that jealousies taken up by others from matters which happily will fall out on either side may cause a difficulty in both works For if either the instrument of a civill league should agitate too much with Divines or with States-men the work of Ecclesiasticall reconcilement or the undertaker of the spirituall work should shew himself too forward in matters of State both might incurre the suspicion of not dealing sincerely because the Clergie might be jealous that something might be intended to their prejudice if matters of Religion should be too farre meddled into by States-men and the States-men might suspect the spirituall Agent that his chief and reall aim was not a true composition of differences in Religion but rather some pretext subtilly made use of to cover some other worldly intention which would marre all and make both them and their Divines shie and fearfull to meddle in the one or in the other businesse Now to avoid this and many other inconveniences which might be reckoned up each must agitate his own work and yet not without the fore-knowledge and preconsultation with the other which sufficeth to frame a fit concurrence at incident occasions of speciall moment which being openly countenanced by authority will make a deep impression upon mens affections And to this effect also the most observable circumstances of times places and persons must be preconceived and a course laid how to make use of the same as well joyntly as severally III. Of the considerable circumstances of the spirituall work to discern what may be done in it at this time THe possibilitie of all effects ariseth from the fitnesse of means to be used towards the same The fitnesse of means consisteth in the properties of circumstances wherewith they are clothed These circumstances are chiefly time place and persons Therefore to see the possibility of this spirituall work these circumstances are to be considered The seasonablenesse of this time to agitate in these matters ariseth two wayes partly from the extreme dangers and distractions of the Churches and of the minds of men partly from the preparations made already towards the accomplishment of the work in the spirits of those that can best help to bring it to passe The first circumstance of this time maketh this businesse to be a matter of absolute necessity the second sheweth the possibility thereof The distractions and dangers of Protestants are almost infinite they cannot be reckoned up for what Church is it that is not divided from its neighbour subdivided in it self where is true brotherly love without respect of persons and partiality where is a true care for godlinesse and religiousnesse considered in it self without siding to this or that faction what is become of the Communion of Saints tending to uphold the duties of charity and mutuall edification Is not all this gone and lost and is not all manner of bitternesse in disputes raylings and reproches and all kind of disorder indiffidences factions and plots undertaken one against another come in stead thereof Hence it is that the peace of the Churches being disturbed with violent affections and uncharitable practices there is not onely amongst Divines a breach in communion about spirituall matters but also that mutuall amity and fidelity which is requisite in States-men for the concourse of Councels in common affairs of a publick nature is decayed and broken all to pieces Thus they are become a prey unto their adversaries And although they can perceive that their strength is almost broken yet they cannot joyn in counsel for their mutuall preservation