1. THe Protestant Religion can nei­ther be propagated abroad; nor maintained at home; ex­cept the Principles upon which it is grounded be upheld pub­lickly, and the practice made conformable thereunto.

2. The fundamental Principles which distin­guish the Protestant Religion from Popery, are chiefly these:

• 1. That the word of God in the Scriptures is the only Rule of Faith and Obedience.
• 2. That this Word is infallible and clear in all things necessary for salvation.
• 3. That this Word is perfectly sufficient to make a man wise unto salvation, and throughly furnished unto all good works.

3. The Practice of the Protestant Pro­fession cannot be made conformable unto these Principles, except two things be observed:

• 1. That all things to be taught and to be done by and in this profession have a war­rant from the word of God.
• 2. That they who teach and do these things do the same knowingly and in Faith, and not because it is a custome long ago re­ceived and enjoyned by humane Autho­rity. For Christ saith, Matth. 15. 9. In vain doe they worship me, teaching for Doctrines the commandments of men.

4. If these Principles, and this Practice be upheld in a Gospel-way; that is, if they be made evident to the conscience of upright minded men by a Demonstration of Truth, and not imposed upon all men, because some in power will have it so, then the Protestant Religion will be propagated without the mix­ture of Popery, but not otherwise.

5. And if it should be effectually propagated it must be upheld not onely to be free from Popery, which is a dependance upon the Pope as infallible, and superstitiousness imposed by Power: but also as opposite to prophaneness which leads to Atheism, and to Disorderliness, which leads back either to Prophaneness, or to Popery; or begers Enthusiastical Fancies, and therewith endless Divisions.

6. The expedient to avoid Prophaneness is to educate Youths carefully in the Principles of Christianity, and of sound Learning; and by civil Laws to repress the Intemperancies and Excesses of Riot and Wantonness, in those that are of Age, that being kept sober and ra­tional, their conscience may have its proper work in them.

7. The expedient to avoid Disorderliness in the profession of Religion, is to unite the Pro­fessours together so farre as they have attained, and to keep them from biting and devouring one another, for that whereunto they have not attained.

8. They cannot be united in that where­unto they have attained, except they know one anothers attainments; and owne each other so farre as they are come.

9. The attainments of all may be known by their publick or private Confessions, and their owning of each other therein, will be dis­cerned by the Harmony thereof in matters of Faith, and in the Rules of Obedience to God and men.

10. They cannot be kept from biting and devouring one another about the things where­in they differ; except the occasions of offences which they give to each other, be first removed and afterward prevented.

11. The occasions of offences cannot be removed, except the parties offended on each side, be willing to meet and agree upon the way of removing the same according to the Rules of the Gospel.

12. Nor can the occasions of offen­ces be prevented, so long as Christians are not taught by their Leaders, and pressed in Conscience to walk by the same Rule of Cha­rity, to bear one with another, and to forbear disputing with, and murmuring at one another.

13. To oblige them in conscience to walk by this Rule, the expedient is to let them all equally enjoy a Regulated Liberty, so as they may not fear to be imposed upon by power, nor hindered by tumults in their way, nor un­dermined by Policy in their Constitution.

14. This liberty may be Regulated, if each party can be obliged to declare that which they would have others do, or not do towards them­selves, for their edification; and then if they be obliged to do, and not to do the same to­wards others also for their edification reci­procally.

15. The expedient to oblige them to for­bear disputing one with another about their particular differences, is to divert their thoughts and put them upon publick tasks, wherein they shall have no cause to dispute with any for [Page 5] a victory, but onely to shew their abilities for the service and good of all.

These tasks may be many, but at present three seem most usefull to be set upon.

• 1. What the things are wherein all Prote­stants agree in Doctrine, Worship and Discipline.
• 2. How they who differ not in Fundamen­tals, may notwithstanding lesser differen­ces, edifie one another according to the Rules of Christian Moderation.
• 3. What Truths Protestants should unani­nimously hold forth to Jews, Turks and Heathens, for their conversion to Chri­stianity.

16. The expedients which will oblige them to forbear murmuring one at another, are:

• 1. To abolish the names of parties, as Pres­byterial, Prelatical, Congregational, &c. and to be called Reformed Christians of England, Scotland, France, Germany, &c.
• 2. To discountenance controversal writing by private persons, and to oblige every party to suppress it within themselves, by requiring their members to observe that wherunto the Cardinal Richelieu brought the French Protestants, namely, That all things which should be published for the de­fence of a party should be reviewed and [Page] owned by the leaders of that party.
• 3. To bring Refutatory scribling out of use, (except it be in matters of Fact, where witnesses may be had to disprove un­truths) and to oblige men to declare their own sense of truths affirmatively and ne­gatively, without insulting over others for their supposed errours.
• 4. To set some Peace-makers a work, to deal with the leading fierce men of both sides, to take off the edge of their jealou­sies and passions against one another, and if there could be a Council or Committee of such Peace-makers formed, it would do the work.

17. If the Disputings and murmurings which by reason of jealousies begin already to work, be not speedily prevented, a relapse may make our breaches worse and incurable,

18. To make these expedients effectual and practicable amongst our selves for Unity at this time; it's humbly conceived, that nei­ther a Conference, such as was at Hampton-Court; nor a Synod, such as was at Dort, or at Westminster; will heal our breaches, but rather multiply or confirm the same: except the way [Page 7] and manner of their conferring, or of their meet­ing in a Synod be so ordered, that they never shall come to dispute and argue one with ano­ther about their Principles, or the matters wherein they differ; for I know not any Con­ference or Synod wherein different parties met to dispute, which ever brought them to an agreement. True it is, that parties at confe­rences have some times driven one another to absurdities, and in Synods, according to the power which called them, have over-voted one another; but never have any acknowledged publickly a conviction by a Conference, nor yeelded to the determination of the Synod. The Council of Trent hath made the Rent be­tween Protestants and Papists irreconcilable. The Synod at Dort did not reclaim the Remon­strants from their way; not the Assembly at Westminster the Independents or dissenting brethren, as they were then termed, notwith­standing the several attempts of an accommo­dation; only because the manner of proceeding did rather tend to argue and debate, then to prevent and heal prejud ces.

19. Now to prevent Disputes, and thereby prejudices both at a Synodical meeting, or at a Conference, the expedients will be, to prede­termine the aim thereof, and the subject matter which should be onely concerning matters of [Page 8] agreement to settle them;) and to limitate the manner of the Treaty, which should be only Declarative and Deliberative, and not Argu­mentative and contradictory.

20. And to make such a Treaty succesfull; two things must be avoided, which have made commonly all meetings almost and conferences about matters of Religion without effect. The first is, the jealousies which they who come to meet, have commonly one of another. The se­cond is, the inconsiderateness and heats which fall out in verbal conferences; besides mistakes and other inconveniencies.

21. Now to avoid and prevent both these; the expedients will be,

• 1. That each party, which should treat, be authorized to meet by it self; and chuse such as they will Depute to attend a meeting in their name, with others from whom they differ.
• 2. That these Deputies of the parties, be ap­pointed to meet severally each by themselvs in distinct places, giving liberty to all of their own way, to bring in to them their thoughts concerning the things which are to be in agi­tation; by which means each party will be free within it self, and be able to know fully the sense of all that go along with them; when the Brethren as well as the leaders shall have access unto the Deliberations.
• [Page 9]3. That the proposal of matters to be agita­ted, shall not be left to either of the parties to be contrived, or offered to each other; but shall be prescribed by form of Question, by his Majesty, to be resolved from the word of God by each party.
• 4. That the Answer of each party shall be gi­ven up in writing to his Majesty, and shall have these properties observed.
  • 1. That it shall contain both the Thesis and the Antithesis of the matters in question, with the reasons thereof.
  • 2. That it shall deliver nothing as the opini­on of other men to refute it, but only the sense of the party it self, which doth offer the answer.
  • 3. That it shall be put in Aphorisms, and not in a large Discourse.
  • 4. That it shall be given to his Majesty, and not communicated to any before he re­ceive it.

22. Perhaps it will be objected, that this is a longsome and tedious way.

I answer; That in this case the farthest way about is the nearest way home. For that which doth prevent all inconveniencies, which make all shorter wayes ineffectual ought not to be counted long or tedious; and that which infal­libly will make Peace, is the only short and de­lightfull [Page 10] way of proceeding. Moreover because the expedients here mentioned are obvious to every mans capacity, and commonly known by all; therefore the way is more easie and without contradiction, and most sutable to the Principles of Gospel-simplicity and Christian-liberty; whereof the former being despised or neglected; and the latter incroached upon or abused, are the causes of all our divisions and distractions, or the chief ingredients which make these cau­ses most powerfull in their operation. The plainest way of dealing, if it hath an orderly tendency to the right end is least followed, for none can follow it, but he who without all self­seeking design or interest, hath learned to deny himself: and whosoever in seeking Peace doth not study through self-denial to serve others in love; will make to himself crooked paths, and he that goeth therein shall not know peace, Isa. 59. 8.

23. In all these fore-mentioned expedients, it is presupposed that each party is fully agreed within it self, concerning the matter which it doth declare to be the common sense of all that belong unto it; but in case it fall out, that the members of each party do not agree fully a­mongst themselves, either in their Tenets or in their way of acting (which I have seldom seen fall out otherwise.) The question then will be, What expedient is to be used to prevent a new [Page 11] fraction of a party within it self, when it is a­bout to treat of an union with others:

The expedient may be this.

1. Supposing there are three or four sub-di­stinctions of professors in a party, which for the main tenet do agree, and so are under one de­nomination; let each sub-distinction name a deputy or two for it self, to whom it will intrust its concernments.

2. Let these Deputies agree upon a Directo­ry how to order their proceedings within them­selves for the credit and interest of their party, that all that can be done by common consent may be done, notwithstanding some particular distinction of waies or difference of opinions, which may be emergent amongst them; and let this Directory be proposed to the leaders of the Congregations for their advice and ap­probation, and it may contain proposals to this effect.

• 1. That nothing shall be reputed an Act of a party, but that which all the Leaders of the Congregations shall be made acquainted with and consent unto, or at least not dissent from.
• 2. That to form an Act so to be reputed, the matter whereof it is to be formed, shall be notified to all the leaders of each sub-distin­ction, to desire them to bring in their sugge­gestions [Page 12] in writing to him who is their depu­ty within a time limited.
• 3. That each Deputy having summed up the agreements of his own sub-distinction, shall meet with the rest to conferre notes, and ga­ther out of all the suggestions a generall a­greement.
• 4. This generall agreement being drawn up shall at a generall meeting be proposed to get a general assent, that none may seem to be imposed upon in a matter of conscience.
• 5. That there shall be no perpetuall Chairman but the Deputies shall preside by turns for the ordering of matters within themselves relating to the party.
• 6. That the common scribe of the party shall keep all the writings which shall be given in upon all matters of deliberation; and that a double of the agreement of each sub-distin­ction within it self, shall be kept for such of the Leaders of the Congregations as shall desire to see it, or to take a Copy of it.
• 7. That the meetings of the Deputies with the leaders of the Congregations, shall begin and end with prayers, &c.

24. If by these expedients every party can prevent further inconveniences within it self, and preserve the union whereunto it is come; and if that degree of Union wherein it standeth [Page 13] with other parties in the grounds and duties of Christianity, may be held forth and discovered, there is a possibility of healing the breaches, which hitherto have distracted us, and made us a prey unto all the enemies of the Truth; who cun­ningly have insinuated, and will insinuate them­selves more and more amongst us, to foment our divisions and our distempers, if we resolve not to own one another in that whereunto we have at­tained, and to walk by one Rule of charity and mutual forbearance in that whereunto we are not yet come, which is the counsel of the Apostle Paul, Phil. 3. 15, 16. in a case of greater difference between the Jewish and Gentile Professors of Christianity, than any is between Protestants ei­ther abroad or at home. And to bring this Rule of the Apostle into practice amongst Protestants, a Negotiation hath been entertained for many years with all the Churches and Universities a­broad, under the countenance and authority of the Supreme Magistrate of every place: that the breaches between the Churches being repaired upon Gospel-grounds, and the offences removed by the concurrence of Authority, the Communi­on of Saints might be upheld, and the truth of the Gospel-profession might be maintained against the common Adversaries thereof, and unani­mously propagated to Jews, Turks and Heathens, for the enlargement of the kingdom of Jesus Christ unto the ends of the earth.

And although the effect of this negotiation hath not hitherto been so visible as hath been wished and prayed for, by reason of the civil di­stractions wherewith God hath punished all the [Page 14] Nations of Europe, putting a cup of fury and trembling into their hand, to make them rather waste and destroy one another, than minde the waies of Christian peace and unity: yet if now the Lord will be appeased towards his people, and break the shield, the hurtful sword and the battel; we may hope that the thoughts of reconciling Religious differences, upon the grounds of these maximes and expedients, will become seasona­ble; for seeing they are matters neither of abstruse contemplation, but plain truths, nor of deep con­trivance, but of common apprehension, yet being so fundamentally necessary for a Gospel-Refor­mation, that no true peace, nor religious unity can be had or continued, without the constant use of them; Therefore they are now extant for a Testi­mony of the guilt more or less of all patties, who knowing these maximes and principles, and not being unacquainied with these expedients and rules of walking towards a settlement, yet, have not been inclined by their own ingenuity, nor in­duced by the perswasion and earnest sollicitation of others to put the same in practice, and thereby to become subservient to the kingdom of Jesus Christ in their generation, which fault will never rise up in judgement against him; who hereby bearing witnesse to these truths, doth endeavour to awaken all unto their duty, as it becometh him who hath made himself for these 30 years past, a constant sollicitour of the means of Truth and Peace, amongst the Protestant Churches, whereof they are all Witnesses, for