Belgicum sermonem esse translata quae magno usui sunt illis Ecclesiis Theologiae studiosis Nuper etiam inter nos Germanico idiomate editus libellus ex Anglico versus de Prax Pietatis ità omnes afficit Pietatis Cultores ut indè religioni quae in pura modestáque veritatis coelestis professione consistit accessionem permagnam sieri constet Ideóque sperare nobis licet si huic nostre vota accedat per vos favor requisitus ut facilè inter vestrates quibus ad haec similia beneficia Ecclesiae suae praestanda prae aliis tranquillitatem in hisce turbis facultates concessisse videtur divina clementia inveniantur aliqui qui collâ—gendis transferendis digerendis atque evulgandis Authorum praecipuis scriptis meditationibus practicis non gravatè suas impendant operas suumque talentum si id suadebitis unde futurum confidimus ut insigne Regnum Dei incrementum accipiat si corpus absolutum talis doctrinae existet ex vestris scriptoribus in quo tam in Theologia Tyrones studi sui quà m Ecclesiarum varii Pastores Concionum suarum materiam invenire possint aedificationi multò utiliorem quà m illa est quae hodie in scriptis Polemicis occurrit ità a studio contentionis ad Charitatis non fictae affectus revocari poterunt multorum animi ex quo tandem futurum sit ut ad Deum imprimis gloria gratiarum actio ad Evangelii professores cum Sanctitatis Pietatis studio Pax Concordia ad Ecclesias puplica aedificatio ad simpliciores pia Eruditio ad pios afflictos solida Spiritûs Consolatio ad errantes devios salutaris Conversio ad securos carnales vivida conscientiae exuscitatio ad Hypocritas obstinatos clara perversitatis suae convictio ad omnes etiam posteros major lux veritatis perveniat ad illos denique qui suum in hoc studio Talentum collocabunt ad Regni Dci Promotionem accedat illa vox quondam gloriosa beata à Domino qui rationem accepti Talenti conferet nobiscum Bene est Serve bone Fidelis in exiguo fuisti fidelis super multa te constituam Ingredere in Gaudium Domini tui Quod gaudium omnibus iis quibus postulatum hoc nostrum paâ—â—fiâ—â— gratum erit cum omni corporali faelicitate ex animo vovemus Valete in Domino Viri Excellentes atque omni honore nobis colendi Dabantur Hanoviae 24. Febr. Anno 1633. Joannes Daniel Wildius Verbi Divin Min. Ecclesiae Hanovicae Inspector Theodorus Leurelius Ecclesiae Hanovicae Minist Conradus Ammonius Concionator Aulicus ibid. Paulus Tossanus S. Theolog. D. Senatûs Ecclesiastici in inferiori Palatinatu Electorali Assessor Clemens Boesius Ecclesiae Gallicae Neo-Hanovicae Pastor Isaacus Boots Pastor Ecclesiae Flandricae quae Christo colligitur Hanoviae Matthaeus Rowyer Ecclesiae Gallicae Neo-Han Pastor M. Philippus Pareus Davidis Filius Illustris Gymnasii Hanoviensis Rector Professor Besides these who had a meeting in the City of Hanaw whereunto I was called at the time above written purposely to offer this Petition unto me and to engage me to follow it for them others there were who having been made acquainted with this desire of the forenamed Divines did also joyn in the same suit by putting their hands to another Paper of the same Tenor at Herborn and in some other places in March and April the same year 1633. Their names are these following Petrus Streithagen Sereniss Regis Bohemiae beatae memoriae Concionator Aulicus Joh. Moriaen V. Div. quondam apud Ubios Min. subscripsi Francofurt 23 April 1633. Philippus Suabelius Hoingae Solmensis Ecclesiae Patriae Pastor Johan Conradus Hopifius V. D. Minist in Comitatu Hanov. in Marchabel Exul Palatin Perutile hoe Propositum commune fratrum Germanorum votum meâ quoque subscriptione confirmare volui ego Henricus Meerbottius P. F. Pastor Stresbeomi Ladenburgicus in Elect. Palatinatu Johan Irlin Theol. Doct. Scholae Herbonensis Rector Professor Ecclesiae ejusdem Pastor Vicinarum Nassovicarum Inspector Mr Casparus Stippius Ecclesiae Siegenensis Archidiaconus qui suo reliquorum fratrum in Comitatu Nassovico Sieginensi nomine subscripsit Johannes Arcularius Ecclesiae Beilsteinsis Pastor qui suo reliquorum fratrum in Comitatu Nassovico Beilstemensi Orzensi subscripsit Thomas Dern Pastor Altenkirchensis nomine Ecclesiarum Comitatûs Sainensis This Letter in English speaks thus To the chief Patrons and Rulers of the Churches of Great Brittaine and Ireland the eminent servants of God and most respected favourers of the distressed Church in Germany be Grace and Peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ through the Communion of the Holy Ghost Amen ALthough it is attested by the Holy Oracles and the thing it self doth speak it that to the severall Members of the Church severall gifts of Gods Spirit are bestowed yet it is evident that the Father of Lights the giver of every perfect gift doth in the distribution of all his gifts propose unto himself but one and the same end which is the common edification and mutual usefulness of all unto each other For the Apostle saith That the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every one to profit withall and elsewhere we are commanded As every one hath received the gift even so to minister the same unto one another as good Stewards of the manifold grace of God For the Talent which every one of us have received of God is committed to our trust that we being made distributers thereof should not hide it in the ground as that unprofitable servant did but employ it to the advantage of our Lord that with such servants as are faithfull unto him we may gain more Talents both to our Masters use and to our selves These things Illustrious and Renowned Gentlemen Most Reverend and Reverenced Fathers and Brethren are alledged to the end that we may acquaint you with our wishes and desires that seeing we are certainly informed that in the Churches of Great Brittain the Doctrine of Practicall Divinity by the publique Writings of many godly wise Ministers of your Churches is brought to a great perfection and that it is excellently fitted for the use of the Common people but yet kept up as an hidden Treasure from the eyes of Forrein Nations within the bounds of your own language alone and that a very great benefit would accrue unto all Christian Churches and chiefly to those that professe the purity of the Gospel if so be those things which are peculiar unto you were published so as by them they might also be read and understood Seeing we say these things are so our purpose is to acquaint your Honours and Worships with our wishes and desires and by the bond of holy Communion in Christ and with that confidence of speech which our brotherly freedom doth suggest to intreat you you chiefly who being Rulers Protectors and Favourers of the Churches and are
manifold disputes and inconsiderate heats of men about matters extra-fundamental and in the different practises of things which are but circumstantial a way of Peace and Unity should either be found for our selves or shewed unto others by any other means then by a demonstration of our agreement in all truths and duties which are necessary for Salvation in respect of God and profitable for edification in respect of one another And this is that which our Brethren in the Latter part of their letter hint at when they tell us that such a body of Divinity will not onely be serviceable for Schollars but even for Teachers to furnish them with more usefull matter in their Sermons then now they are able to find in the books of controversie whereunto almost all their Learning is reduced representing unto us the evil which befalleth most of their Churches viz. that they are overwhelmed with matters of Controversie that their controversal writings are void of Piety full of bitterness and no ways tending to edification And that their young Schollers of Divinity being trained up to this way of contentious Learning for want of better Teaching prove in the course of their Ministry very often void of all Charitableness and strangers to peaceable Affections Which evils by our Pious assistance and endeavours they hope may be remedied if we would gather out of our Authors who handle matters of Divinity in a Practical way as they relate to conscience a full and sound body of saving and savory truths which may be put into their hands to waken them unto Righteousness For they conceive not amiss that by Gods blessing such an Instrument of knowledge and way of Teaching which it will produce may not onely season their spirits with meek and humble thoughts concerning themselves and with loving kind and merciful affections towards their Neighbours which will make them peaceable but may work upon them the power of Godliness when they shall perceive how the Theoretical and necessary Truths of Faith which they make now matters of strife and have disregarded as to their true usefulness ought to be applied unto their own and other mens consciences to teach them to walk with God in all their wayes And indeed this is a sad matter which not onely those Churches groan under but all the rest more or lesse have cause to bemoan That because many in the Ministry do spend their strength and wit upon needlesse and curious dispensations about matters of private opinion rather then upon the application of known and necessary Doctrines unto conscience because these disputations are agitated with more provocation to heat and animosity then to regular and modest searches after the way to resolve doubts impartially and because the smallest differences of opinions beget ordinarily the extreamest differences of affections when men study no Rules of moderation in respect of Passions or of being wise to Sobriety in respect of contemplations or of mutual forbearance in respect of actions all which are things if not hated yet suspected slighted and neglected almost every where in this age I say because these disorders which like weeds in a Garden not weeded overgrow the Church have taken place almost every where it is very doleful to see that the main and great truths of the Profession are extreamly neglected and not at all Cultivated and that by this means the adversaries who lie in wait to deceive the simple and watch to discredit our Religion do get all the advantages which almost they can desire to bring their ends to passe upon us and disrespect upon our Profession for when the frames of matters are discomposed as now they are in all the Churches by reason of the alterations which are brought upon the States of the world it is no great difficulty for cunning men to work Sinister impressions and thoughts of contempt against our Profession upon weak Spirits who know not the substance and true grounds of our Religion but look onely as most men do superficially upon the outward appearance and the worst side of other mens behaviours and failings For these causes if we have any sense of Honour for the Truth and if we have any desire as in conscience we are bound to have to maintain the Credit of our Religion and to free it from the occasions of all these prejudices we should set our selves earnestly to hold forth upon the Common and undenyable grounds of Truth the substantial Excellency of the Doctrine of Piety which by the making up of this Practical Body of Divinity may be done and by none other way so effectually As for our own credit amongst our brethren in reference to the Profession if we study not to maintain it in Gods way by the Propagation of the Truth wherewith we are intrusted certainly God will blast it more then ever it hath been raised Nor can we expect that any thing will uphold our Reputation in Gods way amongst our Brethren so much as the satisfaction which they expect and we ought to give unto them in this their desire for herein they put us unto the real proof of our sincerity whether or no we are willing to do any thing for the Faith and for them and if in this we fail them we shall deserve to lose our Credit with them and that most justly The Ministers of the Churches of Great Brittane have always been esteemed by the rest of the reformed Protestants to be sound in judgement learned in the way of Piety and zealous in the practice thereof moderate in their affections and discreet in their writings against Dissentors Therefore in the work of reconciliation between the Lutherans the Reformed Churches they were never excepted against by either side but rather accepted as Mediators of the difference by both sides but chiefly by the side which is best reformed whose confidence towards us and esteem of us is clearly manifested by the tenor of this letter which hath been written to us about the body of Practical Divinity for therein with a great deal of modesty and humility they not only defer a great deal of respect unto the worth that God hath put upon us but they invite us to receive the Honour of being their leaders to Godliness and their Teachers unto after ages and although we may not without presumption think the better of our selves because others prefer us in Honour to themselves or have any high thoughts of our own sufficiency for who is sufficient for such things and Christ we know is the only leader and teacher because our Brethren esteem highly of us by submission unto the Grace of God in us yet if there be any truth of generosity in our Spirits or any resentment of duty towards such as love us in the Lord we cannot be insensible of so mighty a provocation as this unto love and good works but with all zeal in true Humility giving glory unto God we are bound to the utmost of our abilities to impart
our selves unto them not so much that they may not seem deceived in us and we found unworthy of the Honour given to us but that the free gift of Grace may be exalted in the Communion of Saints and God alone glorified thereby Even amongst morall men it is true that Commendations adde life unto vertue and that as the best things in their nature are most Communicable so it is one of the chiefest delights of the best natures to Communicate the same not so much to gain praise as to do that which is good in it self and praise-worthy which is the contentment of a vertuous disposition and if this is true in morall dispositions how much more ought it to be in those that are Spiritual if therefore there be any vertue if there be any praise let us think not only how to make good the esteem which they have of us but rather to do that which is good and commendable as it is acceptable unto God and approved of men for upon this ground the Apostle Phil. 4. 8. doth recommend unto our care and study all things that are true all things that are honest all things that are just all things that are pure all things that are lovely and all things that are of good report and that in respect of vertue and in respect of praise And if in this work which we are now exhorting to be undertaken all these Motives concur at once so fully and so eminently as in nothing more and that not in a private but in a publick respect then it followeth that if there be any vertue or sense of praise to be regarded in order to the holy profession which only is our glory that we will not suffer our Reputation to fall to the ground by a careless neglect of so manifest a duty wherein our credit not only is so deeply engaged but our Religion it self extreamly concerned So that if upon these motives and considerations this businesse should not at all be effected it would not only be an Argument of a most brutish insensibility and stupidity in us towards that which is true honour but it would clearly evince the unsoundnesse of our hearts in the Profession it self when we should appear so carelesse of maintaining and propagating the truth thereof that even with the loss of our reputation and the loss of the love of those that have sued to us for this duty we should suffer it to be blasted and lie under contempt when it is in our power to Vindicate both it and our selves from reproaches And thus much concerning the point of reputation The next Motive in this kind is the advancement of the Reformation of the Churches both at home and abroad a thing which doth mainly concern us a thing whereunto we are deeply engaged and a thing whereunto this work will be very conducible for as concerning the Churches abroad that it will be a profitable instrument in their hand to set forward the Reformation which they stand in need of we can have no greater proof then their own Confession in their Letter For this is the very ground why they make it their suite unto us that such a Body of Divinity may be compiled because they expect from it and by it an effectual means to take away the chief causes of their Distractions and Disorders in Spiritual things And because our own Disorders in some kind here at home in stead of being Reformed have increased of late and do proceed from the same diseases which have begotten theirs therefore in procuring a Remedy for our selves we may hope to become helpful unto them also Now that this Body of Practical Divinity will be very useful to this purpose may be gathered from the nature of our disease and the property of the cure to Remedy the same The diseases which afflict us proceed from the ignorance and distempers of our minde in things pertaining to God and from the unrulinesse of walking in things pertaing to Men This ignorance in the understanding and distemper in the will and unrulinesse in the outward man is fomented by the slight and cunning craftiness of some men of corrupt minds who being reprobate concerning the Faith as not adhereing to the Testimony of Jesus in the Word which is the rule thereof and having taken up either a Superstitious and Traditional formality or a singular and self-conceited Spirituality of worship and of godlinesse they deny the power and resist the truth of both by taking away the grounds and making void the Common Profession of Christianity These men both superstitiously and singularly affected seeking to get followers unto their severall wayes and opinions agree to wast the Churches and to blast with a pestilent breath all that is not conformable to their practice if they can finde any small colour for raising Calumnies against it and thus they fill the Churches with disputes and the heads of ignorant people with profane and vain bablings which dayly increase unto more ungodlinesse For by this means scandals are multiplyed the unity of the Spirit dissolved the bonds of peace neglected factions set on foot and continued with animosity wherein the weaker sort as Children are tossed too and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine till they lose their hold of all Principles and then give themselves over to Atheism This is the nature of our diseases both at home and abroad therefore the Remedy for both will be the same which can be none other but to this effect First that the faithful Ministers and Professors of the Gospel both there and here should stand fast together in one Spirit and one mind striving together in one way for the faith of the Gospel and in nothing terrified by their adversaries Secondly that they should both with one consent agree upon some profitable way of handling necessary and useful Controversies and of shunning profane and vain bablings and the contradiction of Science falsly so called Thirdly that we and they should endeavour by all possible means to fight against our spiritual adversaries with the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God holding out unto the World the same form of sound words and dividing the Doctrine of Truth rightly in one and the same way of preaching and handling the Scriptures to advance godliness as it becometh workmen that need not to be ashamed And to enable us all joyntly to endeavour these things I am very confident that next unto the graces of the Spirit and the infallible word of truth delivered unto us in the Scriptures which are the two things which God hath Covenanted to continue with the Ministry unto the end of the World Isai 49. 21. I say next unto these two I am confident that no means can be used to enable us unto that endeavour more fitly and with Gods ordinary blessing more successfully then this Body of Practical Divinity if it were compiled and communicated in English to our men at home and in Latin
to those that are abroad For the three parts of this Body if they were throughly and fully handled as from our Authors they may be will meet directly and in a right order with the three main and Original causes of our disorderlinesse and distracted condition to shew the Spiritual wayes of Reforming the same wherein if we shall agree to walk unanimously as no doubt we will we may undoubtedly also believe thar by this Union we shall to all our adversaries become not only invincible but irresistible to work the overthrow of Satans Kingdom And this shall suffice also concerning this point of Reformation which is to be advanced by this means and which the faithful Ministry of this Land is bound to endeavour by the Tenor of their solemn League and Covenant in the presence of God who hath put the means of this in our hand to be effected and now calleth upon us to make use of the same The last thing which I mentioned whereunto we are engaged and whereunto this Body of Divinity will be effectual is to concur with Forrain Protestants in the Common cause of Religion and to assist them against the Common Enemies thereof This Concurrence and assistance is an engagement that doth lie closer to us then I find it apprehended by many Therefore I shall endeavour to represent unto those that are Conscionable in matters of publick concernment not so much what help may be given to the cause by this means for that may be clearly seen by what is said already but what the obligation is which should make us Concurre with Forrain Protestants to uphold the profession of the cause As con cerning the assistance which this work will yield unto the Cause if we will adde any thing to that which hath been said already concerning the Credit of the Profession which it will help to uphold and concerning the Reformation of Disorders which it will help to take away we may consider two things First What properly the common Cause is Secondly What it is that weakens our hands in prosecuting of it If the Common Cause of Protestants be made any thing else then the Propagating of the light of the Gospel which is attested in the Scriptures that the Kingdom and life of Jesus Christ may take place in the souls of all men to the Glory of God the Father by the graces of his Spirit it is fouly mistaken For all that we have protested for in former time against Popery is this that we will not be led by the dictates of other men to believe and practise upon implicit faith and blind obedience what they prescribe to us in matters of Religion but that in such matters we will knowingly rely onely upon the Word of God revealed in the holy Scriptures to follow the dictates thereof And as we are bound still to continue this Profession against Popery on the one hand so in these distracted times especially we are obliged to adde a further Protestation to clear the truth of our profession on the other hand which is this that as we think it not lawfull for us to give up our faith to other men so we conceive it neither acceptable to God nor safe for us to be led by the dictates of our own imaginations alone to believe and practice singularly and by our selves whatever in matters of Religion we shall in our own private conceit fancy to be right but that we will rationally entertain and handle the word of God in the holy Scriptures for the understanding and practising of all Religious Truths offered and duties prescribed unto us therein that is to say that we will not interpret the Scriptures in matter of outward duty and performance contrary to the Common grounds of reason and righteous order amongst men and in matters of inward relation towards God that we will be wise unto Sobriety conceiving that to be the truth of the Spirit which is most answerable to the common Principles of the Faith of all ages and to the Spiritual state of holy Communion which Jesus Christ hath setled in the new Covenant between God and all his Members The common Cause of Protestants hath these four main interests in Christianity by which it upholdeth the truth thereof and thereby is distinguishable from all other Professions The First is The interest of Scripture knowledge The Second is The interest of the life of the Spirit The Third is The interest of orderly walking in all Gods Ordinances Natural and Spiritual The Fourth is The interest of the Communion of Churches in reference to mutual edification in these forenamed matters These interests being all joyned and professedly followed that is openly owned without offence as it becometh the Disciples of Christ make up the true Protestant Cause that is the profession of Christianity And if any one of these be not followed the Cause is so far deserted as it is neglected By Scripture knowledge which is the Fundamental Rule and Seed of the Profession of Christianity Protestants were begotten and are distinguished from Papists By the life of the Spirit which is the heart and soul of the profession of Christianity Protestants do grow up in Christ who is their head till they shall come to a perfect man and are distinguished from Socinians and all such as turn Christianity into a Moral profession of a new kind of Philosophy which is refined and entertained upon revealed Principles but in effect nothing besides or above humane Reasoning By the orderly walking in all Gods Ordinances which is the visible body of the profession of Christianity Protestants stand firm in the truth to bear witness thereof unto the world and are distinguished from all Libertines that pretend to be so spiritual as to be above all Ordinances And by the Communion of Churches which is the activity of this visible body Protestants are strengthned in their growth and testimony made invincible against their adversaries made helpful to each other and the cause and distinguished from all those that pretend to the singularity of Saintship in their several ways by themselves alone with the condemnation of such as go not along with them These being the true interests of this Cause as it is subordinate unto Christianity and Christianity being taken up upon none other ground but as it is revealed in the holy Scriptures nor maintained to any other End but to manifest the life of Jesus Christ by his kingdom unto the world it is clear that the whole observation of outward Ordinances and the practice of mutual Communion which are the two latter interests of the Cause must rise from the first and rest in the second of those which are the former and whatsoever designes practices negotiations and undertakings are said to be for Christianity or the Protestant Religion which are all one and do not attend to advance directly either Scripture knowledge or the life of the Spirit or the walking under Ordinances or the Communion of Churches or do tend seemingly
to advance any one of these without a reference to all the rest they are to be judged false deceitful and destructive to the cause and truth of Christianity Therefore we ought to acknowledge none to be a servant to the Cause of Christ that is a true Protestant but he who walketh by this Rule of the new creature and upon such be peace and upon the Israel of God As for me I shall by Gods grace never entertain any designes and practices or favour any motions and pretences which are undertaken and prosecuted with subtilty or with a strong hand against the persons of a party disagreeing from judgement upon this ground because they favour not my way but I shall make the prosecution of their forenamed interests as by spiritual means and wayes they are approveable to the conscience of every rational man the open and onely rule of my walking in this Cause And if any man shall find me straying from this path and shew me that I am not in it he will oblige me to thank him for converting a Sinner from the error of his Way Hitherto I have given you my sense of the Common Cause of Protestants Now I shall adde a word or two concerning that which I suppose doth weaken our hands in prosecuting of it And that is partly an ordinary mistake partly an universal neglect of Duty in the Actors for it The mistake is in two things First That most meaning well to the Protestant Cause as they do understand it act all rather against the adversaries thereof then for the Cause it self Secondly That when they act so they take up no rule of Reason and Moderation in dealing with adversaries for their good or upon grounds of Justice but give way to Passion and Hatred and all that is imagined to be hurtful to them is supposed to be advantagious to themselves both which are courses altogether preposterous unto Christianity For the true way of advancing Christianity is not destructive but edificative that is doth not intend to overthrow and build at leisure afterward as the Method of some is but it doth intend to build first Christs kingdom that thereby it may overthrow the frame of Satans Policy for it holdeth forth the word of life and truth that by the manifestation of light it may dispell error and darkness And when this is done then it proceeds to the condemnation of the wayes of unrighteousness first it bringeth our thoughts unto the obedience of Christ that then every strong Hold of Satan and every imagination and high thing which exalteth it self against the knowledge of God may be cast down for except we bring Christ with us and set him a working upon the Spirits of men that are in the snares of Satan and led captive at his pleasure we shall never be able to bind the strong man that hath possession of their souls and far less shall we be able to spoil him of his goods which are the lusts and the inclinations of the flesh whereby he doth act self will in them that they may not be subject to the will of God The way then of Christianity is more directly Positive then Negative and therefore it is a mistake to think that the refuting and opposing of adversaries is the main business which ought to be prosecuted in these times but a far greater mistake it is to think that by making the wayes of our adversaries odious or by vexing their persons and prejudging them any way by hook or crook as we use to say in the freedom and conveniencies of professing their Tenets we shall profit our Cause or gain much upon or against them No surely for this is a far greater Mistake then the other and yet this is the ordinary practice which is most commonly followed by those who are zealous for the Cause But this way cannot porsibly prove successefull because it doth quite mistake the interest of Christianity which is nothing else but by the knowledge of the Scriptures and the life of the Spirit to bring men to walk orderly before God and men and live in the Communion which the Members of Christ owe to each other And if we aim not at this even towards our Adversaries to bring them hereunto we deal not with them as Christians ought to do but forsake our profession Now it is neither the convincing them of their particular Errors without further instruction nor the laying open of their shame nor the vexing of their Spirits by troubling their persons or stoping their professions that will bring them to any of these holy duties which uphold the truth of Christianity but this way of dealing will rather set them further off in their Affections both from the love of the truth and from us so that when we shall offer them means tending directly to that which is truely their way to life they will reject the same only because they come from that hand which hath made it self utterly hateful unto them These mistakes weaken the Cause greatly but the universal neglect which is in Two main things doth it far more The First is The neglect of duty in using spiritual means and in a spiritual way towards Dissenters The Second is The neglect of brotherly Communion in spiritual things which is the last point of the main interest of the Cause The first neglect which is of the means sutable to the prosecution of the Cause doth proceed from the forenamed mistakes which indeed make some Professors manage Protestancy as a State Religion rather then a true profession of Christianity and so they take their strength chiefly against Dissenters from State-Authority and practices subordinate thereunto in a worldly way of Policy rather then from the work of God and the work of the Spirit And because many of the active men who have parts and so love to appear in the Front and to take matters upon them have been byassed this way some for one some for another interest of State making themselves and all matters of Religion subservient thereunto therefore it hath pleased God to befool them in their Counsels and to suffer Statan to set Instruments awork who have out acted them in all these wayes but if they had walked by Faith in simplicity and godly sincerity according to the Rules of the Gospel within their own Sphere not according to worldly wisdom if they had in a cause of Christianity made use of none other means but of those which Christ hath used and sanctified unto them and in that way by which he and his Apostles have shewed us they should be used they should not have miscarried as they have done by trusting to the arm of flesh nor could Satan either have over-reached them in their Counsels or stopped them in their proceedings which now he hath been able to do because he is of old Master of the Trade of policy and power which they of late as young Prentices were beginning to take up and this
to be removed and abolished for ever both out of Heaven and earth hence it is that their power which they imployed not for Christ but against him is justly brought to nought and brought to nought before all others because it did strike more at the root of the Churches standing and did more deceitfully oppose the breaking forth of the Light of the Truth then any other Enemies whatsoever Now they did strike at the root and did more deceitfully oppose then others because they were entrusted with more Fundamental truth and more light then others were and had more abilities every way to uphold the Cause better then others had and because the Churches did rely more confidently upon them and their assistance then upon others but the truth and the light wherewith they were entrusted they held in unrighteousness and the confidence which was cast upon them and which they were willing to seem to answer they betrayed utterly into the Enemies hands chiefly then when Signor Con Banzani negotiated the Papal designs with them amongst us This I observe with grief for the guilt which they brought upon themselves and not out of any personal hatred against the men for none of them ever disobliged me otherwise then in opposing the Protestant Cause and by neglecting the Opportunities which I was instrumental to offer unto some of them whereby the Gospel might have been advanced if they had been so happy as to have made use thereof But they regarded not the affliction of Joseph and therefore now they are gone captive with the first that are gone into captivity Amos 6. 7. And the Justice of God upon them ought to be observed to his Glory that others may fear and that we our selves may be ware of falling under the same condemnation for now the same duty is required of us which then was incumbent upon them and that as solemnly if not more strictly then ever they were obliged them unto for we have condemned them for that which they did neglect and have bound our selves with solemn Remonstrance and a sacred Oath to mind the common Interests of Protestants which they so sinfully neglected we then having judged them to be unfaithful in the Cause of God and engaged our selves to mend their fault if ever God should put us in a capacity so to do if now when we are in that capacity we should neglect this duty we shall deserve a heavier judgement then they are fallen under if we be found guilty of the same neglect The solemn Remonstrance in the name of the state of the Kingdom published Decem. 1641 before the troubles began doth declare the whole state obliged and consequently every faithfull subject therein according to his place to labour by all offices of friendship to unite their forrain Churches with us in the same cause to seek their liberty and prosperity as bound thereunto by charity to them and by wisdom for our own good for by this means our own strength shall be encreased and by a mutual concurrence to the same common End we shall be able to procure the good of the whole Body of the Protestant Profession Here the State is engaged to mind the cause of the Churches abroad and to procure the good of the whole Protestant Profession The cause of the Churches is not a meer worldly interest but a spiritual cause and the main good of the whole Protestant Profession is not a worldly concernment but a Gospel perfection by the unity of the spirit to build up one another in love if this good can be procured to the whole Profession nothing will be wanting to their safety and prosperity But if this good be not sought after and endeavoured what every else may be intended will not much avail the main of their prosperity Now to bring this to passe and to unite them in a true Gospel interest with us nothing can be more directly subservient then this design to gratifie their desires of obtaining such a Body of Practical Divinity from us And to confirm this and bind it strongly upon our conscience the solemn League and Covenant between God and the Nations doth engage deeply all those that took that Oath to desire affectionately and endeavour sincerely that the success of our proceedings may be deliverance and safty to all Gods people and an encouragement to other Christian Churches groaning under or in danger of the yoak of Antichristian Tyrannie to joyn with us in the same or like Association and Covenant to the glory of God enlargement of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ and the Peace and Tranquility of Christian Kingdoms and Commonwealths These are deep professions as made in the presence of God and therefore ought to be so much the more conscionably minded Of the Third How the Work may be effected and imparted unto those that have sued for it TO procure the compilement of this Body of Practical Divinity the way is already chalked out unto us and was agreed upon by some of our most able and godly Ministers who before these Troubles did offer themselves unto the Work and engaged to take their Taks to be elaborated under the direction of Doctor Usher the Primate of Armach who then was in a powerful and plentiful condition and likely to have undertaken the direction of the business As for the way how the matter was deserred unto him it may be seen by the adjoyned Letter which in the year 1633. was sent him nor did any thing stop the proceeding of the Work before our late troubles began in Ireland and England but the want of a compleat Plat-form and some other contrivances which were referred to the Primat to effect but since the troubles both here and in Ireland have unsetled all men so that although there had been a Plat-form drawn up yet few or none could have performed any thing in the Tasks which they might have taken therefore the Work hath been hitherto interrupted But seeing now we are in some hope that the Lord will be merciful to us and remove the causes of future Distractions we may also expect that there will be faithful and able Agents found to undertake this Work which will be so useful for all the Churches and to bring it about the way may be this First Let either this or some other Plat-form be held forth that such as will chuse Tasks may know what to pitch upon Then let two hands be chosen as Directors to whom all the Tasks when they shall be perfected may be brought in that they may according to the Plat-form which they shall think fittest to be followed set every piece in its own place and joyn every limme of the Body to its Neighbour till it be compleated and fitted for the Presse When the Directors of the Work are chosen let everyone who doth choose a Task be obliged to notifie his Undertaking to one of them that they may know what the Tasks are which are in hand and by whom