A Briefe RELATION OF That which hath been lately attempted to procure Ecclesiasticall PEACE amongst PROTESTANTS Published by Samuel Hartlib LONDON Printed by I. R. for Andrew Crooke and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Green Dragon 1641. Sir Edwin Sands in his Book called Europae Speculum or a view of the State of Religion in the Western parts of the World Pag. 183. THe end of these unhappy differences in Religion between the Reformed and Lutheran Protestants will be that their enemies shall laugh when themselves shall have cause to weep unlesse the graciousnesse of God stirre up some worthy Princes of renowne and reputation with both the sides to enterpose their wisedome industry and authority for the uniting these factions or at least wise for reconciling and composing those differences in some tollerable sort a work of immortall fame and desert and worthy of none other but of them of whom this wicked base World is not worthy A Brief RELATION OF THAT WHICH HATH BEEN LATELY ATTEMPTED TO PROCURE Ecclesiasticall PEACE amongst PROTESTANTS THE purpose of soliciting a Roncilement amongst Protestants in matters of Religion was first undertaken and afterward prosecuted after this manner When in the yeer 1628 Iohn Dury was in Prussia Minister to the English Company of Marchants residing at Elbing he was sent unto dealt withall and moved by Dr. Godeman a wise godly and learned man one of the King of Swedens Privy Councellors and Judge of his high Court in those parts to second him in a businesse of Ecclesiasticall Unitie amongst Protestants which he said his King and Master would be glad to advance So good a motion being readily entertained it came to passe afterward when Sir Thomas Roe was sent Ambassador Extraordinary by his Majesty of great Britain to agree the Sweds and Polonians which also he did successefully perform that both Doctor Godeman and Master Dury did make him throughly acquainted with all the passages of their negotiation Whereupon he according to that generous disposition which doth lead him to favour all good indeavours of a publike nature did very willingly assist them with Counsell and at Master Duryes intreaty conferred with the Lord Chancellor Oxonstiern to see how farre he would shew himself in the businesse and what course might be resolved upon to proceed joyntly to the effect thereof The Lord Chancellor manifested a good liking to the work and promised to my Lord Ambassador to joyn effectually therein towards his King and the Lutheran Clergy of his best acquaintance Upon this ground my Lord Ambassador encouraged Mr Dury to proceed and when his Lordship was gone into England the Lord Chancellor sent for him heard his particular proposalls conferred with him about the same testified his willingnesse to give assistance thereunto and desired Mr Dury to give him information of the passages of the work in time to come so he went from Elbing into Engl. in the yeer 1630. Chiefly because his Congregagation at Elbing was dissolved by reason of the inconveniences which warre had brought upon the Trade in that place and because Sr Thomas Roe had promised to move the chief Prelates in England to assist him in the work of pacification Being then arrived there he first acquainted his most familiar friends of the Clergy with his purpose and shewed them some declarations written by the chief Preachers of Dantzigh to make it appear that they were not only ready to joyn in such a negotiation but also desirous and in hope that the Divines in England would in like manner concur which being done he came to Sr Thomas Roe who was mindefull of his promise and became every way as good as his word towards him For he recommended the businesse towards the Kings most Excellent Majestie who was pleased to refer the consideration of this matter to my Lords Grace of Canterbury and to the Bishop of London that they should hear Mr Dury and declare their resolutions to his proposalls This was done accordingly And he was commanded to write unto the Divines of his acquaintance in Prussia and to the Lord Chancellor Oxonstiern to testifie first the good inclination and resolution which the Clergy of England had to cooperate in due time towards so good a work Secondly that their Councell for the present was only this that to prepare a way for future treaties the Magistrates of both sides should inhibite railing disputes in the Pulpit and put down the names of partiality so farre as could be done and not suffer any debatements to be taken up or fomented about matters of Ceremony in the form of publike worship This he did and after a good space when news came that the Protestant Princes in Germany had leagued themselves together for their mutuall defence and that an amiable conference of their Divines had been holden with good successe at Eeipzigh to compose the differences in Religion Master Dury was permitted to go into Germany that he might see how the Divines of all sides might be disposed towards a Conjunction of Councells and endeavours in the work To make away for this purpose he had before hand through Sir Iames Spense Lord of Oreholm and Generall to the Scottish Nation in the Swedish Army given notice to his Majesty of Sweden what his aime was in the businesse of Reconcilement and how it might be effected Therefore when he came in the yeer 1631. into Germany he found the King somewhat prepared whom soon after the Battle fought at Leipzigh he spoke withall at Wirtsburg His Majestie was pleased to give him large audience and by conference received full information of all those deliberations and particular wayes whereby the work could be prosecuted of which the Sammlary resolution whereunto his Majesty gave assent was this That the Councell given by the Reverend Prelates of England was to be followed for the inhibition of disputes and partiall names and that as Master Dury did intend to labour with the Divines of the Reformed side to dispose them to joyn unanimously in the means and wayes of amitie so his Majesty would recommend the same endeavours to be undertaken by some Divine of the Lutheran fide who should in like manner work upon the rest of their own party and afterward when a fit preparation should be found on both sides then His Majesty did offer to give unto Master Dury his Letters of Publike Recommendation towards the Princes of Germany and chiefly towards the Elector of Brandenburg and Landgrave of Hessen that with his and their concurrence and the Help of forraine Divines the businesse might be brought to a solemn conclusion This favourable resolution being taken Mr Dury dealt first with the Divines of Hessen then with those of Hanaw and of the Palatinate and of Deuxpont and of the Wetteraw till he heard the King of Sweden was dead which evill news although they made a stop in some part of his resolutions yet they made him not leave the
from London to Hamburgh where he found Sir Robert waiting for a new Commission to go for Franckfort And whilst his Lordship stayed he took occasion to acquaint the chief Divines of that City in their Consistoriall meeting with his negotiation who having promised to joyn endeavours he went from thence towards Franckfort to a great and solemn meeting of the Protestant States where he arrived in my Lord Ambassadors company in Iune 1634. There he dealt in particular first with his best acquaintance and then made a proposition in generall to the assembly thereupon the States were moved to depute out of every Colledge some to take his businesse into consideration These came together gave Mr Dury audience received informations of the Circumstances of this work and perused severall declaratory writings which divers Universities and Divines of both sides in Germany as also out of Germany in forraine Churches as England France Helvetia and Transilvania had given to him which moved them to take the matter into serious consideration and make a decree whereof the heads are these First That Master Dury having been heard by a solemn Committee and the Writs which he produced taken into consideration by the rest of the States all of them with unanimous consent did judge his Work most laudable most acceptable to God and most necessary and usefull to his Church yet seeing it was of great and weighty consequence and that many of the Ambassadors had not received any instructions thereabout from their Masters therefore no finall resolution could be taken by them at that present but that they would faithfully relate and recommend these businesses unto their Masters to bring them to some effectuall resolution Secondly That others which had received instructions from their Principalls about the matter had proposed two wayes of proceeding in the work some thought it expedient that the manner of proceeding which Master Dury had suggested unto the States should be followed in bringing a Conference of peaceable Divines to passe that a Fundamentall agreement in points necessary for salvation according to the Example of the Conference held at Leipzigb might be setled And that to this effect the States of the four Upper Circles should give up unto the Prince Elector Palatine their more particular advices towards the furthering of the matter and that the Declarations of the two Saxon Circles should be given up to the Elector of Saxony and Brandinburg who then should agree amongst themselves concerning the time and place of a Meeting which might be named unto the rest and afterwards Invitatory Letters should be sent to forraine States and Princes to move them to send thither also some of their Divines Thirdly That others thought it no lesse expedient to proceed thus Namely that the Electors of Saxony and Brandinburg should be intreated by the States then met together to reassume the amiable Conference which was begun three yeers ago betwixt their Divines and those of Cassell and to this effect that if not sooner at least then when the Treaties of Peace Universall should be set on foote a meeting should be appointed whereunto peaceable Divines on both sides both within and out of the Empire should be called In which meeting this should chiefly be aymed at that an agreement should be made in a Common Confession of Faith containing all the Fundamentalls of Religion necessary for Salvation setting other points of Scholasticall dispute aside Fourthly That the Ambassadors who had no instructions did promise to relate unto their Principalls their advices and procure fit resolutions thereupon which should be sent unto the Civill Electors professing the Protestant Religion Fifthly Moreover that it was fully consented unto by some and by some taken ad referendum that in the mean time all Christian moderation was to be used on both sides aswell in Preaching as in Writing lest if this was not done some hinderance might befall unto their Unitie and being done by this means the Civill Peace also might so much the more be advanced Sixthly That Prayers were to be conceived in the Churches of both sides to intreat Almighty God to blesse these attempts This was made an Act the fourteenth day of September 1634. To which the seal of those which had the direction of the meeting was applyed and all the chief hands did subscribe it Of this Act the Originall sealed and subscribed was given to Master Dury to enable him to testifie authentically to other Churches the resolution of the Protestant States that thereby all well-willers unto the work might be encouraged to continue in setting it forward Upon this ground he went again towards England through the Low-Countries where he informed the Divines of his acquaintance and the Deputies of the Provinciall Synodes of things past at Frauckfort and elsewhere in these consultations obliging them thereby to take the matter to heart And when he arrived into England My Lords Grace of Canterbury being informed of all matters did by Sir Thomas Roes procurement recommend him to the King who was pleased in taking more particular notice of his person and work then in former time to permit him still to proceed To which effect he went over again into Holland with His Majesties Letters of safe Conduct with a testimoniall from my Lords Grace of Canterbury bearing witnesse that Master Dury had acquainted him with the successe of his proceedings that he went again out of England to prosecute the same businesse not only with his knowledge but also with his approbation and assurance that he would be ready in due time to advance 〈◊〉 holy desires of Peace He had also private Letters from Doctor Davenant Lord Bishop of Salisbury and Doctor Hall Lord Bishop of Excester to some of the chief Divines of the Low-Countries to move them to concurre more effectually in these endeavours then they had formerly done Moreover he had Letters from the Ambassador of the Lords States of the Low-Countries residing at London unto the States both of Holland and Zealand Thus he set forth and arrived at the Hague in Iuly the yeer 1635. There he dealt first with the States of Holland to induce them to recommend these thoughts unto their Provinciall Synod which was then begun Afterward he went to those of Zealand and appeared in their Classicall meetings held at Walcheren Zirickzee Tolen and Goes then he dealt with the University of Leyden and the Synods as they came in order namely with that of North-Holland and of Vtrecht and with the French Synod in those parts from which Declarations were obtained fit for the advancement of his purpose When he had thus farre proceeded in Holland and found that evill affected mindes towards Peace raised ungrounded surmises against him to stop the good inclinations of impartiall men he used meanes to clear mens judgements by causing somethings to be Printed for the better information of all And having understood that the Lord Chancellor Oxonstiern was to go from Germany into Sweden where he hoped
judgements therein for mutuall agreement Then at some fit occasion some body should go to Leipzigh and Wittenberg and deal with the Saxon Electorall Professors by word of mouth to dispose them to a full resolution in this businesse To which effect also the Prince should move the two Dukes of Saxon Weymar Duke William and Duke Ernestus who have long wished for this Reconciliation to cause their University of Iena to cooperate therein And in processe of time when the businesse should be brought by this way of proceeding to some considerable ripenesse then it should be required that from great Britain and elsewhere some body might be joyned to Master Dury and also from Germany some body should go into England and other parts to speak with the chief Divines of those Churches that when there should be good hopes of bringing the matter to passe then the Soveraign Princes and States of all sides should be intreated to agree upon a meeting to make some conclusion in the matter for the good successe whereof publike prayers should be made with common consent in all the Churches These resolutions being taken when the Prince himself had spoken to Master Dury and given him assurance of his willingnesse to set forward this purpose he did dismisse him with a recommendatory Letter unto his brother Duke Frederick residing at Zelle who in like manner received Master Dury very kindely and moved his Divines to confer with him In this conference when they had received satisfaction to some doubts which were proposed they gave consent unto all which was concluded at Brunswick and Hildesheim From Zelle he went to the free City of Luneburg where he acquainted the Ministery of the place with his Proposalls made unto other Churches that they might also take the same into their consideration and in due time with consent of their Protector Dr. Frederick resolve what to do therein Thus the Circuit of Brunswick and Luneburg being finished he returned to Hamburgh in February An. 1640. from whence without delay he went towards my Lord Ambassador Sir Thomas Roe who was at Gluckstad with the King of Denmark to give him account of all the passages of his proceedings There he also dealt further with the Lord Chancellor Detloff Raventlow and the King himself was pleased upon my Lord Ambassador his recommendation to give him accesse to kisse his hand and in presence of his Son the Archbishop of Bremen to speak with him about the setting forward of his purpose In which discourse his Majesty shewed a good liking to his proceedings and gave way that if he thought fit he should make new proposalls touching means of Reconcilement unto his Divines that they might have further occasion to entertain these thoughts as well as others Hereupon Master Dury did impart unto the forenamed Lord Chancellor a paper containing certain heads fit to be Theologically consulted upon by them that their resolutions touching the same might in due time be framed and also made publike if they themselves thought it expedient Thus the Treaties at Denmark being again set on foot he returned from Gluckstad with my Lord Ambassador towards Hamburg and gave by letters information into England concerning all matters of moment which passed in his work Then also some writes presented formerly unto the Divines of Denmark were made publike that many who desired to know the passages of that negotiation might have satisfaction therein Not long after my Lord Ambassador was recalled from Germany into England about which time the private disputes amongst those of Bremen were come to some height for those that were most inclinable to moderation suffering wrong had sought Master Duries advice and desired his help to compose their doubtfull questions Therefore he sent to some of the Prelates of the Church of England and some of the Professors of Divinity in both Universities certain Writs which the chief Divines of Bremen submitted unto their judgements containing the true state of their difference which reflecteth much upon the main controversie debated betwixt the reformed and the Lutheran Divines therefore the decision thereof will be a singular preparative for the common and more publike Unity of all Protestants To these Writes the Lord Bishops of Salisbury and of Exceter have already given their answers and the rest to whom they are sent have promised to do the like who no doubt will be as good as their word In the mean time Master Dury ripened somewhat matters towards the Lutherans and endeavoured to smooth the knottinesse of the Clergy of Hamburg and Lubeck For finding some warping of their intentions which he perceived would bend another way then was expedient he dealt first with Doctor Hunnius a leading man at Lubeck and then with the Senior Preacher of Hamburg that when these two should be set in a right way the lesse-knowing and more clamorous Clergy might be more easily perswaded and wrought to admit the thoughts of moderation As for Doctor C. lixtus although some men of strife and evill willers to him did undertake to disturb him in these peaceable thoughts yet being strongly countenanced by Superiors he hath begun to perform his promise giving Master Dury full assurance of his constancy and of the concurrence of many others towards the furtherance of the same Councells And because the opposition made against Doctor Calixtus by his Brethren was like unto that which the chief Professors of Bremen suffered by their Brethren Master Dury conceived that the similitude of their cases might be a motive to induce them to mutuall correspondency in the work of Reconcilement Therefore having gotten the Originall Writes which Bishop Davenant and Bishop Hall sent to those of Bremen he went thither to deliver the same and conferre with them about the matter whereunto he found them exceeding well inclined In the way going thither he dealt with one Statius Buscherus Doctor Calixtus his chief opposer endeavouring to mollifie and withdraw him from some preposterous courses and coming back again he stayed a whole day at Bremervorde the Residence of the Most Illustrious and Reverend Archbishop of Bremen with whom he had twice occasion of large conference tending to give him satisfaction which he also received concerning some doubts which he had conceived of the Work From thence passing through Stade and having insinuated unto the chief Preacher of that place Mr Haveman some writes tending to Pacification he arrived at Buxtehude where he met with Master Scholvinus the Pastor of the place a learned and moderate Lutheran Divine whom he confirmed in a course of conference and correspondency begun with Doctor Bergius at Bremen towards the ripening of matters belonging to Pacification Then being come back to Hamburg he made himself ready to return for England And to this effect took his leave of the Magistrat and Ministry of that place some of the Magistrate were very earnest with him to persevere in the prosecuting of his work and the Ministery gave him their answer in Writ shewing