MY earnest desire is, that this well meant, and (as I conceive) very warrantable Negotiation of mine, may not bee mistaken by any, and chiefely by you in Scotland, to whom I owe reve­rence in the Church of God.

For, As I was not drawne to this worke by any [Page 2] man upon any private considerations; so I have never served any mans end, nor sought my selfe in it, but onely God, and the manifestation of his Truth. This he that searcheth the hearts of all men knoweth to have beene, and still to bee mine onely true and constant aime. Nor doe I presume to interpose, and cast my selfe up as a Judge, and Arbitrator of the differences between Churches; but being earnestly in love with truth and peace, and having been stirred up by men that seek the truth in holinesse and peaceable affections, to en­deavour the advancement of the one and the o­ther, I have presented hitherto my selfe unto God, and to all his servants without partiality, as an humble solicitor of the counsels of Peace, for the publick good of Protestant Churches, that there­in the truth of his Gospel may bee conferred and made knowne unto the world. And this I finde I am warranted to doe, not onely by the necessity of the times, and the dangers whereunto the Pro­fessors of the Gospel are brought, through the prevarication, and implacable animosity of some of their Leaders and controversall Writers; but also by the expresse Commandements of God; which presse mee, first, to seeke peace with all men, Rom. 12. 18. Heb. 12. 14. Heb. 10. 24. so farre as in mee lyeth, if possibly it may bee had: And secondly, to provoke others, whom this du­tie in like manner doth concerne, unto the same affection of love, and of good workes. Let mee then bee looked upon as a publicke solicitor of peaceable counsels and thoughts, and as a pro­voker [Page 3] of godly men unto the affections of charita­ble duties; for this is the summe of that which I intend.

Therefore, To performe this task more effectu­ally towards every one, I have taken notice of that part of the duty wherein wee are distinctly com­manded to contemplate, and attentively to consi­der one another, (for this is the force of the word [...],) to the end that wee should sharpen and stirre up one another (for thus much the word [...] implyeth) towards the perfection of our holy calling and profession.

And therefore give mee leave, in obedience to this Commandement, chiefly at this time, to con­sider you of my Nation, as an object fit to be pro­voked to all the duties which God hath comman­ded in his Gospel for the glory of his name: Give me leave (I say) to beleeve that you desire to bee provoked, & that you will effectually be stirred up hereunto, as unto a necessary duty, although by such a weake and contemptible instrument as I am, it is thus meanly proposed unto you: For I hope you will doe it so much the rather and the readier, because it is not backed with Authoritie, that it may appear you are perswaded and moved by the grace and Spirit of God, and not by any humane and outward consideration towards that which is required of you in your heavenly calling. Bee pleased then to consider not who it is that maketh the proposition, but what it is that is proposed; and in whose name, and to what [Page 4] end and effect these endeavours were and are un­dertaken.

The end you have already heard; the name in which the proposall is made, is the name of our God, and Saviour Jesus Christ, who is called the great God, and the Prince of peace. If therefore you professe your selves to be his faithfull subjects in the Kingdome, and Ministers in the Gospel of Peace, I may call upon you by your allegeance, that you decline not the counsels of peace, be­cause hee hath commanded, saying, Seek peace, and Psal. 34. 14. follow after it. And as for the thing required at your hands to be done at this time, it is thus to be con­ceived; That although sometimes I am enabled to use great boldnesse in a private way, yet, being now to make my addresse unto a whole Church, I have reason to feare lest I seeme to abuse my Liberty which is in Christ. Therefore I am farre from prescribing any thing, and will onely represent my earnest wishes and humble requests unto you, as they are briefly set downe in the Petition hereun­to annexed, and as now by this writ this shall bee more particularly explained and declared for the opening of my meaning therein.

Be pleased then to consider, that my constant suit to all Protestants is, that they would live in the Communion of Saints one towards another: for, seeing they all beleeve that there is a Communion of Saints, and that every one in particular thinketh himselfe interessed therein, as being sanctified by one and the same Spirit; therefore I suppose that [Page 5] none may or will be unwilling (chiefly when he is called upon) to communicate the fruits of his spi­rituall talents towards the building up of truth, and of righteousnesse in his fellow-saints. Now I take the ground of holy Communion, which ought to be made manifest amongst Protestants, to be this:

First, That they joyntly attained unto the ac­knowledgment of the same saving faith, as it is re­vealed in the forme of sound words and Doctrine, which the holy Scriptures teach, renouncing there­by all Popish, all Socinian, and other whatsoever heresies and errours, which overthrow the ground of our salvation.

Secondly, That they have submitted themselves unto the same rule of life and obedience, in all acti­ons towards God and man, to be joyntly directed therein by the will of God revealed in the same holy Scriptures, renouncing consequently thereby all Popish idolatry, all humane traditions, and all superstitious constitutions, as no wayes binding in respect of conscience, or to bee imposed as obser­vable in the worship of God.

Seeing then all Protestants appeal only unto the word of God, and reject all doctrines & practices, as untrue & unwarrantable, which have no ground in the same: therefore I conceive them to be really brethren in Christ. And although the more weak, and lesse knowing party (as commonly it falleth out) is unwilling to acknowledge the other for a Brother, yet neverthelesse, because there is a com­mandement of God, bidding us that are strong, to [Page 6] beare with the infirmities of the weak, and forbid­ding us to please our selves, and injoyning both Rom. 15. 1. 1bid. v. 7. them and us to receive one another as Christ re­ceived us unto the glory of God. Therefore I find that wee are bound to labour to gaine our erring brethren, with all meeknesse alluring and drawing them on towards more knowledge, towards mo­deration, and towards godlinesse, and brotherly love: To which effect, we should indeavour to re­ctifie in them those mistakes for which they shew their spirits to be averse from us; and to give them also occasion to rectifie in us those sinister thoughts for which we conceive our spirits justly alienated from them. For indeed, it is for the most part al­most nothing but mistakes on both sides, and mis-interpretations of each others meanings and acti­ons, which make the division. These mistakes and mis-interpretations therefore should be taken out of the way on both sides: which may bee done, if that wherein both Churches fully doe agree be­twixt themselves, and disagree from Papists, were brought into a summe, and meanes used to cause that summe to be acknowledged by common con­sent, as a testimony of their unity in the faith and practice of true Christianity. Now, to make such a summe, a Symboll of their agreement in faith and obedience, as it is not difficult to be done, so it may be effectuall to rectifie their mistakes, and bind up their hearts in brotherly love, if the publick Con­fessions of all the Churches were compared toge­ther in things necessary, and usefull for unity and [Page 7] mutuall edification; whereof the consent being gathered and approved by us, then afterward it might be insinuated with countenance of authori­ty unto forraigne Protestant States, to make them willing to propose the same unto their Ministery, to move them to approve of it in like manner as of a testimony of a spirituall unitie. This, I say, is no hard matter to bee done; and yet would bee a sufficient means to unite all our spirits together, & take away the hurtfull scandall of our divisions.

This being done, needlesse disputes and curious Schoole questions, which have bred much strife, might, in the second place, bee cast out from the Pulpits, and other profitable, though high and sub­lime mysteries of godlinesse, might be regulated by common consent, to oblige ordinary Preachers to handle the same without curiosity, prudently and plainly, as may be answerable unto vulgar capaci­ties, for popular edification. Thus it is conceived that controversies might be made lesse in number and in weight. Which being done, a course could be setled to entertaine correspondencie in spirituall things, belonging unto the advancement of the kingdom of God towards those that either know, or as yet know not his name: To which effect these things should be taken into consideration:

First, How, and by what means, answerably to the will of God, scandals, heresies, and breaches of brotherly love and unity should be prevented be­twixt the Churches in time to come.

Secondly, How the increase of knowledge, [Page 8] which daily is enlarged, in some places this way, and in other places that way, according to the dif­ferent gifts of Gods Spirit diversly bestowed, and alwaies profitable in severall persons, may become profitable in common to all, and be communicated without grudging or envie, or danger of distur­bance to any, arising from preposterous contradi­ctions and disputations. And to bring this to passe, thoughts have beene long agoe entertained, and some indeavours used to procure the meanes of true Christian learning, and holy knowledge.

The first is a full body of practicall Divinity, w^ch in stead of the ordinary Philosophicall-jangling-School-Divinity, might bee proposed to all those that seeke the truth, which is after godlinesse, and especially to the young Schollers of Theologie in the Universities.

The second is, a substantiall explication of the literall and materiall sense of the Text of the holy Bible, to be a help unto all both learned and un­learned in matters of doubt, which ought to bee decided by the word of God.

The third thing belonging to the advancement of Gods Kingdome, which may and ought to bee consulted upon, is how to propagate the truth and light revealed unto Protestants towards others; that such as are yet in darknesse and deadly igno­rance, may be drawne unto the light of life which shineth in the Gospel.

These are the objects of my sollicitation and en­deavours amongst Protestants, whereunto not on­ly [Page 9] many have given their consent, and decalred a ready minde for concurrence; but some also have really and effectually put to their hand to labour in the work with us: others are more and more comming on, and no doubt by your example most of them will be raised and stirred up from that ac­customed drowsinesse and slacknesse in resolution, wherewith our flesh and bloud is clogged when wee intend spirituall matters: But hee that is able to waken the dead, and raise them up out of their graves, and who will once bring us united together with Christ in glory, is able also to quicken mens spirits towards these duties, and make them con­curre in one purpose, to understand aright the sin­cerity of one anothers intentions.

Now then, If I may use freedome of speech through Christ, to require of you that which I conceive you ought to doe, and beseech you to settle a resolution in your Assembly, that hence­forth you will lay to heart such publick thoughts, that as in other things you have abundantly ap­proved your zeal towards the truth, so in these du­ties of love and publick edification, you may goe before others, and bee found laudable Patrons to the communion of Saints: Which may be brought to passe, if you will make an Act for the entertain­ment of correspondency with forraign Churches about this matter, and in consequence of that Act, deferre Authority to some fit persons of your Bo­dy, who may in your name concurre to correspond and entertaine with others these thoughts of spiri­tuall [Page 10] and common edification. To such then as you shall appoint to heed this work I will promise to make mine addresse, and give you by them true information of that which is, or shall be done here­in by others hereafter: And from them reciprocal­ly I desire to receive the advice and counsell which you shall thinke fit to impart towards the worke, that it may in due time be brought to a full period, through the assistance of Gods Spirit, in the supply of your joynt prayers and co-operation. And be­cause in this spirituall combate our prayers are our chiefe strength and weapons, therefore my further request is, That you would recommend the work unto the prayers and supplications of your Con­gregations; that it may be mentioned before God, to this effect, namely, that his saving truth revealed to the Protestant Churches, may bee not onely freed from all scandals of needlesse disputes, and dangerous divisions amongst themselves: but also have a free passage towards others, and be enlar­ged towards all the ends of the world, through the unity of their spirits in the bond of peace, and their godly zeal to entertain holy Communion one with another, for the advancement of the kingdome of Jesus Christ our Saviour. What shal Papists fast & pray, and erect societies, and spend great revenues to breed and send forth Emissaries, to undermine the truth, and propagate their superstirions and i­dolatries: and shall wee no nothing for the ad­vancement and propagation of the true faith and knowledge of Christ Jesus: Shall they be more [Page 11] cunning and diligent to overthrow and divide our Churches by worldly wiles of destruction, then wee are circumspect and zealous to maintaine our selves and all Gods children, so farre as in us lyeth, in unity, by spirituall rules of mutuall edification: Oh, let never this fault bee any more found in any of us. It may suffice, that hitherto the neglect of our duty, in this and other things, hath brought us to this extremity whereunto you see Ecclesiasticall matters are reduced amongst Protestants. If there­fore there be any bowels and compassion, if you intend to entertaine any fellowship of the Spirit, and if you can supply any comfort of love derived to you from our head Jesus Christ, fulfill the joy of peaceable minded Christians, and in these things bee like minded with us; Enlarge your selves as we doe, and open your hearts by some written De­claration fit to bee imparted unto forreigners, to beare witnesse that you are willing and ready to seek and entertaine peace with all true Professors of Christianity. And if withall you shall thinke fit to give any advice unto me (a mean instrument of this worke) or to suggest some profitable counsell concerning the heads of consultation here propo­sed unto you, I am a most humble suiter unto you, that you would either insert the same into your Declaration, or communicate it apart unto me: For by the communication of your spirituall talents in this kinde, you will cause many thanksgivings and praises to bee offered up by many unto God on your behalfe, and in particular by my selfe, who [Page 12] in the midst of many outward discouragements, and inward failings, am bound to wrastle some­times with my selfe, and sometimes with others, against the spirit of envie and strife which dwel­leth in our flesh, for the unblameable waies of peace and truth which are in Jesus Christ. To his grace I commend you, and shall not cease to pray, that in all your labours for the Gospel, you may finde the infallible direction of his holy Spirit going a­long with you, till you see the blessed effects of his good will and direction over you, with joy un­speakable, and comfort unto your soules, through the apprehension of the glory of our God, which I wish may shine now and for ever, in and over every one of you severally, and your whole society joint­ly; of which I shall alwaies study to be found