I Hope my two former Letters were safely delivered, wherein I gave you notice of a purpose taken in hand here, to make Notes upon the Bible; what con­currence you think fit to give in such a work, I leave to your owne piety to determine. Now I have some other thoughts to impart unto you, which lye as a burthen on my heart; nor can I be at rest till I dis­charge them in some bodies bosome; nor know I any more fit then your selfe, to whom I may confide them, for I trust that you will make them harmlesse to me, and as profitable as you can to the Publique, according to the occasions which God at this time doth put into your hand, which may be of great consequence hereafter if rightly ma­naged.

I am then very desirous to let you know my thoughts concerning the Palatine Cause, which I heare is laid to heart amongst you; whereat as I am glad, so I will not cease to pray that God would direct your hearts to doe something in it as it ought to be done. But to conceive what may be done in it, and how that which may be done ought to be done, so as we may be sure that God will give a blessing to it, is a thing whereof I am not a little sollicitous, since I have heard of the in­clinations both here and there, where you are tending towards some reall undertakings for his Highnesse: You know that the right ayme in framing of Councels, is of very great, if not of greatest importance: For it is like the Axell tree, whereupon the meanes like a wheele, runne about to carry it to an Issue: If this ayme be not as it should be setled in the minds of the Undertakers for the Palatine Cause, I can have little hopes of a blessing upon the enterprise, whatsoever it be; nor can I be perswaded, that fit meanes to help the cause will be made use of: and would to God not onely they that are willing to undertake for the House Palatine; but that the House it selfe, and the Counsellors which are about it did not understand onely, but also affect truly the end, which they should have in prosecuting their owne Cause. The sweet natured Prince Elector is of very good capacity and judgement, and as most young men, and of a sanguine complexion, are flexible and easi­ly led; so might he be brought into better apprehensions of matters, then as yet he seemeth to have, if the Counsellors that are about him, were so sensible of the best things belonging to the Palatine Cause, as [Page 2] Men in that place should be: but that they are not truly sensible of their true ayme, it appeareth to me in some things, at which I can but grieve. I speake this with due respect unto them, and in love to the Cause, which they do manage about his Highnesse. And I pray unto God heartily that in suing for the meanes of their Restitution, they may walke more entirely with God, (and in all his wayes, then they have done many of them hitherto;) that they may be fit to looke up directly unto him, and not so much unto the arme of flesh, as States men com­monly do; and that they may be able to understand the Counsel of God towards their Master, whom he hath honoured to suffer hatred and persecution for his own Cause: Which cause I feare is little regarded by most of them, and till they, as well as the Prince himselfe, be truly sensible of it, I have little hope of any good issue in all their Enterprises, which no doubt have beene hitherto miscarried, for want of Gods blessing upon the undertakings; and Gods blessing hath been wanting, because the true end, which he requireth in such a cause, was not in­tended. Lest therefore both they and you that are willing to under­take for them, should make shipwracke upon the same rock, I thinke my selfe bound in conscience to give some warning to you, which I will leave to your prudency to insinuate to such, as can make best use thereof in time and place convenient.

Now then to let you know, what the true aim is, which should be laid to heart in the Palatine Cause, I must tell you, what I know to be a cer­tain truth, and can make good, if need be, with infallible evidences, concerning the Cause of the War in Germany. The true originall of this War, is known to be the quarrell of the Bohemians which the P. Elector took upon him. But this was not the first originall of the Warre, there were other fore-going plots laid against the Freedome of the Protestant Religion, and their Liberties in Germany; and especially against the greatnesse of the Palatine House, then matched with our Kings daugh­ter, which made that House and the Protestant State, whereof it was the Head, so formidable unto the Pope and his Conclave, that he with the Austrians, took up a firm resolution to ruine that House, lest by its means Protestancy might be so upheld in Germany, as to weare out Popery. And they had some cause to feare this, when they saw what encrease Protestancy did make dayly, so long as matters were at quiet in Germa­ny, and what a Nurse the Vniversity of Heildelberg was unto it. This jealousie then was the true cause of the Quarrell, which had broken forth elsewhere, if it had not been fired in Bohemia: For at the same time at [Page 3] divers other parts in the Empire, a Quarrell was pickt against the free use of the Protestant Religion, which was an intolerable eye-sore unto the Pope, and Austrian party. Thus then it is certain, the cause in their contention originally, is the feare and hatred of our Religion, and no doubt it was in the P. Elector Palatine a pious intention, to uphold the Protestant Liberties in Germany, which were put at, and which being lost, the Religion it selfe would suffer thereby. By this first originall of the Warre, we see the nature of the Cause; and from the nature of the Cause, we must take the aime in undertaking it. For if it should be undertaken as it ought to be, it must be undertaken sincerely for Reli­gion, to uphold the Protestant Cause in Germany; and then means answe­rable to this aime, will be thought upon, and may be found out, if we will but consider what the Meanes are by which the Enemies of the Cause have all this while prevailed against it; and what practises they still use to undermine and overthrow it wholly. For if we can take away the advantages, which have made them hitherto prevaile, and prevent their future designes, no doubt our undertakings will not bee without effect.

It is most certain that hitherto their greatest advantages have beene herein, that as they were alwayes united amongst themselves, and stood close to one main purpose, which is the propagation of their Religion; so they have been able alwayes hitherto by their practises and instruments to divide Protestants, and distract their intentions, that they should ne­ver joyn in one purpose. Thus in Germany all their industry have beene imployed still to separate the Counsels of one State and Prince from ano­ther, which they were able to doe, by reason of their disputes and jea­lousies one against another about matters of Religion; and out of Ger­many they have kept the thoughts and intentions of us in Great Britain busie another way, to divert us from giving assistance unto our afflicted brethren, or taking their case to heart, til it be almost past reme­dy. For verily, the Protestant Power in Germany is even gone, and there is none either shut up or left any more within that Country; there­fore I have the greater hope for my part, that God will now repent him­selfe of his Servants, because his custome of old is, as the Prophet saith, Esay 30. 17, 18. when his people is, as the beacon on the top of a mountaine, and an ensigne on an hill, therefore, and then chiefly to wait that he may bee gracious unto them; and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon them. And this I hope he will doe in [...]anctifying good in­struments unto his Service, and shewing the true way which must bee [Page 4] followed in maintaining his Cause, and preventing the plots of his Ad­versaries, which they have laid for times to come: whereof the depth I suppose is or may be fully discovered, if use can be made of that small treasure of observations new and old, which I and some others have made, and do make, whereof here I will give you a briefe abstract.

Since the Conquest of Bohemia, and the transaction with the King of Denmark, and a little before the arrivall of the King of Sweden into Germany▪ their main intentions have been discovered fully, and the wayes of their plots, and the industry which they use in the same, can easily be gathered, partly from their own Historicall relations concer­ning the same, and partly from their actuall proceedings in all places, uniformally upon the same grounds and principles, which men of ex­perience, and any thing versed in affaires, cannot but take notice of. The summe of all is this, that since they gained so much ground against the Protestant Cause in Germany, that they thought their hopes might be brought to some good perfection, there they have raised upon that foun­dation some further Resolutions determined in the Papall Conclave, how to deale in time to come with all other Protestants, to bring them back again to Rome; or else to divide them, and distract them more and more amongst themselves, so that they shall easily become a prey to Papists, as those of Germany are become. This Resolution is to make Propositions of Peace, and of Agreement betwixt Protestancy and Po­pery. How far this plot, and by what meanes it was advanced here in Great Britain, and how God hath disappointed it, I need not to relate: And by the way of carrying things here, wise men can gather what negotiations are a foot elsewhere also, whereof I can bear some witnesse in many particulars, if need were. But what danger there may be still here of reviving their plots, and how that danger may be hereafter pre­vented, I will leave to the wisdome of both States to consider, beseech­ing the Lord in mercy to direct them therein to his glory. And if these notes that I am going to set down can doe any good to that effect; per­haps farther particulars, if they be required, may be in this kinde made known. It is certain then that in Germany, in France, in Polonia, in the Low-Countries, and elsewhere, the same mystery of iniquity is a foot, and with much industry and diligence advanced by Emissaries of all sorts towards Princes, States-men, and leading Divines. I will not here name those that are known unto me in all these parts, nor how far things, and by what waies in several parts they are diversly caried on to the same scope, because that is needlesse at this time, a generall intima­tion [Page 5] in one or two will suffice. It is manifestly known, what the Car­dinall in France hath now this good many yeares been fomenting by Monsieur de la Melitiere, and some others, concerning a transaction of differences between Papists and Protestants; and now of late it break­eth forth more then ever, by that which is done at Grenoble, and some other parts in France, where some chiefe Papists have made overtures unto Protestants towards some agreement, upon plausible generall Con­ditions, because they seeme to be willing to yeeld unto Protestants in some things of no small moment, and chiefly because they absolve them from the crimes of heresie laid to their charge ordinarily by other Pa­pists. I am also credibly now of late informed from a very good hand, That the Cardinall hath written to the States of Holland, in the name of his King, to make an overture of such a transaction; and I am in no doubt but it may be so, for other circumstances which I know; and you may conjecture that the Cardinall would not lightly venture upon such a Proposition without some preparatives, and hopes to effect somthing, &c. I know he may have some private ends in reconciling Protestants with Papists in France; I know he is an enemy to the House of Austria, and that he seems now to jarre with the Pope, for the maintaining of the Priviledges of the King over the Ecclesiastick Persons in France; but all this doth not hinder any whit his concurrence in the maine plot of the Conclave; but rather to emulate the forwardnesse of Austria, and not to be behind in the Counsels of furthering the plot of Religion un­to any: he doth all this in subordination unto the Resolution of the Conclave, which of late hath fully been discovered to be this, towards Germany and Polonia chiefly, and consequently towards all other Prote­stant Churches in due time. The resolution I say hath been discovered by the negotiation of one Valerius Magnus, a Frier sent forth and ap­pointed by the Conclave, to goe through Germany, and Polonia to dis­cover, and learn what the most common and important grievances are, which give greatest discontent unto all Protestants there, against Pope­ry; that when they shall be truly and distinctly known, a course may be resolved upon, how to yeeld unto some kinde of Reformation there­of, Salvo jure & honore Pontificio, by some generall Councell, which the Emperour should call, with the consent of the Princes of Europe; that so the common sort might receive satisfaction. This Frier is now at this instant still in his negotiation, supported to that effect, with means and assistants for correspondency, by the Emperour, and the King of Polonia: The discovery of this plot is come to my knowledge of late, and he was [Page 6] moved by a Providence of God himselfe, to lay it open to one, with whom I have been heretofore acquainted, who in a Conference about the grounds of our Religion, did so fully in the presence of others con­vict him, and stopped his mouth, that he became troubled in conscience, and did not rest till he had dealt more privately with the Divine who had overcome him, to whom he in testimony of his sincerity revealed his whole plot; and by the procuration and intervention of great men and friends, hath moved the foresaid Divine to go along with him into Polonia, and to Vienna, and as farre as Rome, to see what can be effected in this Negotiation, and further this pretended transaction. Much more could be related of this subject, but this is enough to make their inten­tion fully known, which no doubt is this, to make a generall kinde of politick transaction of differences in Religion, by the power of Civill authority, with so many Protestant Princes as can privately or pub­liquely be gained thereunto, that if others who will not condescend to such an agreement, be moved for conscience sake to beare witnesse against it, they may be crusht by Authority, and suppressed; and when the sounder part of Protestants shall be thus taken out of the way, and not able to peep, then his authority may be fully established over those that shall re-unite unto him without contradiction.

Thus the Pope dealt at first with the Hussites in Bohemia, for after a long Warre, wherein the Bohemians had wearied all their Neighbours, he saw that by violence they could not be brought to a constant and voluntary yeelding unto him, therefore he proposed Conditions of agreements unto the greatest part of them, which was lesse sound, by yeelding unto them foure or five Articles for the redresse of some grie­vances; and when the sounder part would not acquiesce, they were quite oppressed and dissipated; nor did they ever, after that Thabours was once taken, recover strength or become considerable till the dayes of Luther, and these later times, wherein again they were the first suffe­rers. The same purpose is now manifestly in hand to deale with all Protestant Churches, but chiefly with those in Germany in like manner; that if the Austrio-Bavarian faction in Germany can either by faire or foule means bring any considerable party of the Protestant Church any where, but chiefly within Germany it selfe, to yeeld unto the plausi­ble Conditions which may be proposed for the redresse of common grie­vances, then they have fully obtained their purpose, and will not fail to deal there so with the remnant of Protestants, as was done with the remnant of Hussites in Bohemia. And what course the Emperour takes [Page 7] in Germany, the same will be followed in Polonia and in France; so that except God disappoint this plot by a wonderfull providence, as he used to worke in all his wayes, there is no possibility in humane appearance, and by humane wayes to avoid the effect of it, which will be the setting up againe of popery in all places where once it hath had footing.

Thus you see what advantages the Adversaries of the Palatine Cause have had hitherto against it, and what their plot and practise is to bring their Enterprise to perfection. I know that God useth to laugh the wisdome of this world to scorne, and taketh the crafty in their own devises, and that as heretofore alwaies from the beginning of Christi­anity, and now of late also in the discovery of Antichristianity, he hath had the better of his Adversaries, even there and then, where and when they thought themselves to be strongest. So he will still to the end be at last victorious in his owne Cause yet, although I know I am confi­dently perswaded that God will doe so, yet I say we ought not to be negligent in doing our duty: but taking the most likely course, wee ought according to our ability help him against the mighty, leaving the events of our endeavours to his providence. Who knoweth but that the time may be now come, wherein the Lord will rise & work for his owne names sake? nor is it unlikely to be so, if we consider the accom­plishment of prophesies, and particularly that of Dan. 12. 7. that when the adversary shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the ho­ly people, that then their sufferings shall be at an end: now verily their power is wholly scattered and divided, and there is no considerable force either in or out of Germany, that is able to rise up for Protestan­cy against Papacy; and therefore I hope it is Gods time to worke now in his owne way, and not according to humane appearance? And this very consideration maketh me the more earnest towards you that seeme willing to take his Cause in hand: lest in going about it his way should not be followed, without which nothing can prosper in the Pa­latine affaires. Now I conceive his way to be not a way of great strength and force, but a way of spirituall Wisdome and integrity, ten­ding to advance the Kingdome of his Son, in managing the contro­vers [...]y of his Church. If then all the outward undertakings whatsoever they may be, goe not along with God in his way, and are not made subordinate unto this end; they will be in vaine and prove but a fur­ther scattering of the forces of Protestancy. And how they may be set in this way, in opposition to the way of those that fight against Protestantcy, more by craft then by strength, I will tell you my opinion, that you [Page 8] may judge of it, and submit it as you shall thinke fit to be judged of by others, that are wellwillers to the Cause; It is then briefly this.

First, I thinke it necessary that both his Majesty and the Prince Ele­ctor be made sensible of the dangerous consequence of the Papall plot against Protestancy.

Then the Prince Elector should be dealt withall seriously by some grave, wise and godly man, to make him lay to heart the great honour that God doth to him and to his Family in calling him to suffer for his Cause, and to beare the reproaches of them that reproach the truth of Christianity, and the hatred of those that hate the Gospell of Christ, which they persecute in his person. To know truly what an honour this is, would be a great strengthening of his spirit; and then to know also how he ought to behave himselfe in all his wayes towards God in bearing up this Cause, how that he ought not to seeke himselfe in it, but should make the upholding of Protestancy, and not the regaining of his Lands and Titles, his true inward ayme, and consequently to doe all in subordination to God, and not by humane wisdome and policy, &c. If this could be truly (as I am perswaded he is very capable of) wrought upon him, then I would not despaire of a blessing upon that which he may take in hand; He being thus wrought upon to make God his counsell and strength in all things to manage faithfully his Cause; could have some other Counsellors adjoyned to him, besides those which he now hath: Men of exemplary and entire lives, men that should strengthen him in the true ayme of his Cause, to keepe it unmoveable in his heart; men that are versed in publique Treaties about the cause, and experienced in State affaires, chiefely in the Ger­mane Princes Courts; such a one is N. N. without whose judgement and experience, I conceive his businesse can hardly be well contrived in respect of Germany, and I could wish that he were maintained to be perpetually about him, for he is a very religious and knowing man, and of singular use in this worke, for the contrivance of the counsels therof toward forraine States; and besides him, one or two States men more could be named. But I leave this and will come to the undertaking of the Worke; not of the outward military supply which may be sent for him, but of the spirituall part of the worke which should tend to uphold Protestancy against Popery, not onely in Germany, but every where else: I conceive then that such as undertake to restore the House Pala­tine in Germany, should make the quarrell not in pretence, but in truth (as indeed it is) a matter of Religion, and so should resolve to [Page 9] handle the Cause in a religious way, as well as by force. The cause then of maintaining the Religion and Liberties of Protestants in Germany, ought to be made a publique businesse; and in all Treaties with for­raine States, and deliberations about forraine Affaires, it ought to come into consideration; and all Ambassadours towards other Prote­stants, should be instructed to deale with them for a concurrence in it, and in effect become like unto the advice of Cato for the destroying of Carthage, an appendix to every counsell given in the Senate.

If the Cause of Religion should be made a publique businesse, then publique wayes and meanes must be used to advance Protestancy, so as a matter of Religion ought to be advanced, that is, without partiali­ty and by respects or private ends and affections, by taking Protestancy in the true notion thereof, as it stands in its principles opposite to Po­pery, and to advance it thus taken; two kindes of meanes should be set aworke, the one should serve to make knowne unto the world what true Protestancy is, the other should serve to oppose the wayes of Po­pery, in undermining it; I will name onely the heads of these meanes as now they lye in my conception; To make true Protestancy known unto the world, thoughts must be had, how to make the tenour of their Common Faith, and the Rules of their practise in their publike and private profession of the Gospell, better evident unto the world then hitherto they have been.

For the tenour of their common Faith, it may be evident two wayes; First, if the harmony of Confessions be reprinted (for it is whol­ly out of print) and in some things enlarged and compleated. Second­ly, if a course could be taken to make Scripturall knowledge more common to all in the plaine and evident truths thereof, and lesse in­tangled in disputes, and subject to various interpretations amongst the learned. The first may be done by using meanes to make the literall sense of the Text and the cleare doctrins thereof, plaine for the vulgar use, and fit for the ordinary reading of all men, by the printing of Bi­bles with Notes, and briefe Explications, wherein all Protestants should agree and consent of the meaning of the Text. The second may be done by some common Rules and Methods of Interpretation of pla­ces doubtfull, whereupon the godly learned could be moved to agree a­mongst themselves, that by common principles in the Analogie of Faith, and by a way of Analysing the Text, and drawing consequences therefrom (which should be agreed upon by common consent of the Learned) they might be able to avoid private interpretations and di­sputable [Page 8] [...] [Page 9] [...] [Page 10] doubts in Doctrine, which obscure much the faith, and trouble the weak professors, and keep off doubting Papists from being fully convicted.

This would be a Means if it could be had, to inlarge very much the knowledge of the Truth, and to confirm it without danger of divisions; it would also be a ground of reconciling different opinions, without all danger of betraying Truth, or suppressing it, which is a thing so much feared in the work of peace Ecclesiasticall. Concerning the rules of Pro­testants common practice, in their publique and private walking accor­ding to the Gospel, they ought to be set forth as much to advance them­selves in the Reformation of their religious walking, as to vindicate the credit of their profession against malicious aspersions. Here then Means should be thought upon, how the Rules of their Publique Worship, in their Ecclesiasticall meetings, to hear the Word, to put forth prayers and praises to God, and to partake of the holy Sacraments one with another, should be framed so as to take away the offences which arise amongst themselves by reason of diversity in these practises, and by conforming their actions herein unto that which is expressed and prescribed in the Word, that they may shew themselves true unto their own principles, wherein they maintain against Popery, that Gods Worship should be truly spirituall according to his will, and not clogged and mixed with humane inventions. And to bring this to passe, all their Ecclesiasticall Constitutions should be compared one with another, and their funda­mentall agreement amongst themselves, and with the expresse Rules in the Word, should be taken and distinguished from the Circumstantiall matters, wherein the free and indifferent custome of Nations, not un­lawfull to be used, make them differ one from another. This their agree­ment in substantiall, and difference in diaphorall practises, wherein eve­ry Church hath its own liberty, might be published, as the Harmony of Rules in publike Worship observed by Protestants in conformity to Gods Ordinances, and what is over-plus as a clogge and mixture of hu­mane institution in some Churches, means should be thought upon how that might by little and little, be antiquated and left off. And to effect this, if some publike Treaties, and Synodicall meeting could be brought about in due time amongst them, it would be a great settlement unto themselves in the wayes of Truth, and a speciall means to propagate it unto others.

As for the rules of their private walking, they should be set forth and described, in respect of common Family duties, and in respect of the se­verall [Page 11] Callings and Charges belonging to all these, that are Members of the Church and Common-wealth. Here then should be a substantiall description of the right ordering of Christian Families, to make it appa­rent how Protestants, some do study, and all should study to walk be­fore God in their private houshold societies. And in like manner other materiall descriptions of the severall duties of Ecclesiasticall and Civill charges, how they are, or ought to be discharged conscionably in the presence of God, should be put forth, to informe all of the integrity of their waies and intentions. Here then the duties belonging to the Pasto­rall Charge, and to the Doctorall Charge, and to the Helpets in the one and other Charge, such as are Elders and Deacons in the Church; and School-masters for the education of youths, should be laid open. Also the Charge of the Magistrate as he is Governour and Judge of the peo­ple; and the duty of the Subject as he is under Superiour powers; The Charge of a Husband and Wife; The Charge of Parents and Children, and of Masters and Servants, should all be distinctly described and pub­lished in severall briefe Treaties, and made common to all, that both Protestants might see what they should do according to their own prin­ciples of profession, and others might be informed of their walking, who traduce them for licenciousnesse, and blame their Religion, as if it were the high way to dissolve all Government, and to cast men loose unto all manner of rebellion and dissolution.

Such Treaties as these being briefly yet fully and substantially penned, and then revised and approved by some Synods and Vniversities, would be of great use to make all Protestants be of one minde in their pro­fession of Christianity before the world, and free them from many odi­ous impressions which evill Statists and Emissaries of the Pope beget in the minds of Princes against them, whereby more hurt is done then we are aware of. Therefore to elaborate these tasks, Men should be set apart, and being fitted for the common use of all men, they should be printed and dispersed in severall Languages to be seen by all, and the Charges of Translation and Printing should be born by those that un­dertake the Palatine Cause; and his Counsellors for the good of this Cause, should set their minds awork how to bring these things to passe. For herein doth their strength consist, against which all the power and plots of the Enemies of Protestancy will never be able to prevail. For suppose they should effect what they intend, in calling a Councell in Germany by the Emperours authority, to rectifie some generall grievan­ces; if Protestants have these Declarations and evidences to make the [Page 12] tenor of their common Faith and Practise appear in a readinesse, to of­fer it to be judged by that Councell, what will their plot be able to ef­fect? Will they not be taken in their own device, and made instruments of confirming that Profession which they intend to overthrow? I know not what you will think of the possibility to effect all this, but I am sure you cannot deny but that all this may be done, and that without great difficulty, or great delay, if the Protestant Cause were taken to heart as it ought to be; and if some few Instruments were set apart to elaborate such tasks as these. But alas these things are not at all minded nor can they gain any favour or countenance at any bodies hand, who is in place of Eminency, except they can make a particular use of the undertaking to subordinate the same unto some private aims of their own. Hence it is that the solicitors of such Works are lookt upon aloof, and suspected as dangerous Men by all sides, or laught at in secret as men of odde and singular conceits, that fancy unto themselves Castles in the air, and im­possible undertakings. Verily I confesse the undertakings are impossible, not per se, but per accidens, by reason of the stupidity of mens spirits in matters of a publike nature, and by reason of their great partiality which doth blinde them in all other things, not serving to their private ends and wayes. Nor do most men that I meet withall, minde any thing but what is immediately of use for their own present turns; and because my thoughts cannot run that way, I am become like a sparrow on the house top, and as an Owle among the rest of the Birds of the Forest. For all this while I have been knocking at a deaf mans door, intending to put men in minde of these things, and seeking help to bring them to passe, I have spent my time and strength in vain. Now then I have dischar­ged my conscience, and will set my mind at rest from henceforth; and this I count to be the fruit of my labours. This is the first kind of means serving to establish, to perfect, and to make known what true Protestan­cy is in the world.

The second kind of Means doth serve to oppose Popery in that where­in it doth study to divide and undermine the State of Protestants. To this effect Means should be thought upon, how to go crosse unto them in their proceedings against us. They labour and plot how to divide us amongst our selves, and to feed our disputes in Religion and jealousies of States, and to bring every where some evill intelligence betwixt Ru­lers and Subjects, and to make us of Great Britain to neglect all the thoughts of our Brethren which may tend to their comfort: should not we then labour and plot to bring the quite contrary effects to passe, [Page 13] namely, how to reconcile matters of disputes in Religion, and to take away jealousies of States, and to bring good intelligences betwixt Ru­lers and Subjects and to make us here in Great Britain to think upon the State of our Brethren who suffer in, and for the same Faith which we professe? They have a Synagogue of Satan to tempt the Protestants to defection, from whence they send forth swarms of Emissaries, as they call it, ad propagandam fidem; but it is to creep into all Courts and Fami­lies to corrupt mens minds, and to execute all mischievous designs against us; and we are so dull as to intend nothing, either for our own preservation or against them. Nor is the way thought upon, or inquired after, how that any such purpose might be effected. This then the under­takers of the Palatine Cause should lay to heart, and seriously mind as a Fundamentall Maxime of their State: That the Causes of divisions amongst Protestant Churches and States must be remedied by some ef­fectuall Negotiation, whereof the preparatives being already made to their hand, rather by a Providence of God, then by any mans instigati­on and encouragement, they will be the lesse excusable if they make not use of the same by taking notice of the Means which may be shewed unto them, whereof I will not now speak at large, only in a word let me refer you unto the summary discourse concerning the work of Peace Ec­clesiasticall, how it may concur with the aim of a Civill Confederation among Protestants, which is in print, & was sent unto you 6 or 7 weeks ago. But if no such publike Negotiation can be as yet intended, then a more private, and yet no lesse effectuall way might be used, by setting afoot a Theologicall Correspondency with Divines already ingaged in the Work of Reconcilement. The maner and Method of entertaining this Correspondency, and the Vsefulnesse of it might easily be shewed, if there were any hope or appearance of obtaining any countenance, Pa­tronage, or maintenance in undergoing it; for much must be done in it by printed Letters and Tracts, which should at once be made to flie abroad to all places convenient, and yet not become common to every one promiscuously till matters should be sufficiently ripened in the minds of Leading men on all sides, who in due time should be able to sway others unto good Resolutions: And although in this publique Cause of maintaining Protestancy, nothing else should be done, but to keep afoot the Correspondency which is begun already, that the thoughts of those that are everywhere raised, and set upon these Consul­tations, may be more and more confirmed and ripened; yet this alone if it be effectually prosecuted may be able by the grace of God to coun­termine [Page 14] the Papall plot heretofore mentioned: Therefore whatsoever else may be intended, if my counsell may be heard, I would not have this omitted nor delayed, but His Majesty should be moved to settle some donatives, and set them apart to maintain the Charges of this correspondency. Many things of this nature will be in his Majesties disposing, if those that are found guilty be punished and deprived of the gifts and priviledges which they injoyed without doing service to the publique therein.

Thus you see my desire, and the care that doth trouble my minde about this businesse. Having thus discharged the burden of my thoughts upon your wisdome and discretion; I finde my spirit at rest, because I make no doubt but God will addresse you to make some use of them, where they may be most profitable to the good of the cause of Religion; and I shall not fail to joyn my daily prayers with you and your endea­vours, that they may not be unfruitfull in this matter. Thus I com­mend you to the Grace of God, and rest,