THE COPY OF A LETTER written TO Mr. ALEXANDER HINDERSON.  
LONDON, Printed in the year, 1643.   

Reverend and loving Brother in Christ;  
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 own piety to determine. Now I have some other thoughts to impart unto you, which lie as a burden on my heart; nor can I be at rest till I discharge them in somebody's bosom; nor know I any more fit than yourself, to whom I may confide them, for I trust that you will make them harmless to me, and as profitable as you can to the public, 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 hear 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 do 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 aught 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 solicitous, since I have heard of the inclinations both here and there, where you are tending towards some real undertakings for his highness: You know that the right aim in framing of counsels, is of very great, if not of greatest importance: For it is like the axle tree, whereupon the means like a wheel, run about to carry it to an Issue: If this aim be not as it should be settled 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 persuaded, that fit means to help the cause will be made use of: and would to God not only they that are willing to undertake for the House Palatine; but that the House itself, and the Counsellors which are about it did not understand only, but also affect truly the end, which they should have in prosecuting their own 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 Men in that place should be: but that they are not truly sensible of their true aim, it appeareth to me in some things, at which I can but grieve. I speak this with due respect unto them, and in love to the Cause, which they do manage about his highness. And I pray unto God heartily that in suing for the means of their Restitution, they may walk more entirely with God, (and in all his ways, than they have done many of them hitherto;) that they may be fit to look up directly unto him, and not so much unto the arm 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 fear is little regarded by most of them, and till they, as well as the Prince himself, be truly sensible of it, I have little hope of any good issue in all their Enterprises, which no doubt have been hitherto miscarried, for want of God's blessing upon the undertakings; and God's 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 shipwreck upon the same rock, I think myself 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 original of this War, is known to be the quarrel of the Bohemians which the P. Elector took upon him. But this was not the first original of the war, there were other foregoing plots laid against the freedom of the Protestant Religion, and their Liberties in Germany; and especially against the greatness of the Palatine House, then matched with our King's 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 ruin that House, lest by its means Protestancy might be so upheld in Germany, as to wear out Popery. And they had some cause to fear this, when they saw what increase Protestancy did make daily, so long as matters were at quiet in Germany, and what a Nurse the university of Heildelberg was unto it. This jealousy than was the true cause of the quarrel, which had broken forth elsewhere, if it had not been fired in Bohemia: For at the same time at divers other parts in the Empire, a quarrel was picked against the free use of the Protestant Religion, which was an intolerable eyesore unto the Pope, and Austrian party. Thus than it is certain, the cause in their contention originally, is the fear 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 itself would suffer thereby. By this first original of the war, we see the nature of the Cause; and from the nature of the Cause, we must take the aim 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 aim, will be thought upon, and may be found out, if we will but consider what the means 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 prevail, and prevent their future designs, no doubt our undertakings will not be without effect.  
It is most certain that hitherto their greatest advantages have been herein, that as they were always united amongst themselves, and stood close to one main purpose, which is the propagation of their Religion; so they have been able always hitherto by their practices and instruments to divide Protestants, and distract their intentions, that they should never join in one purpose. Thus in Germany all their industry have been employed still to separate the Counsels of one State and Prince from another, which they were able to do, 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 busy another way, to divert us from giving assistance unto our afflicted brethren, or taking their case to heart, till 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 himself of his Servants, because his custom of old is, as the Prophet saith, Esay 30. 17, 18. when his people is, as the beacon on the top of a mountain, and an ensign on an hill, therefore, and then chiefly to wait that he may be gracious unto them; and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon them. And this I hope he will do in ●anctifying good instruments unto his Service, and showing the true way which must be 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 brief abstract.  
Since the Conquest of Bohemia, and the transaction with the King of Denmark, and a little before the arrival of the King of Sweden into Germany▪ their main intentions have been discovered fully, and the ways of their plots, and the industry which they use in the same, can easily be gathered, partly from their own historical relations concerning the same, and partly from their actual proceedings in all places, uniformally upon the same grounds and principles, which men of experience, and any thing versed in affairs, cannot but take notice of. The sum 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 papal Conclave, how to deal 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 means 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 witness 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 wisdom 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 do any good to that effect; perhaps farther particulars, if they be required, may be in this kind 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, statesmen, 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 ways in several parts they are diversely carried on to the same scope, because that is needless at this time, a general intimation in one or two will suffice. It is manifestly known, what the Cardinal in France hath now this good many years 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 than ever, by that which is done at Grenoble, and some other parts in France, where some chief Papists have made overtures unto Protestants towards some agreement, upon plausible general Conditions, because they seem to be willing to yield unto Protestants in some things of no small moment, and chiefly because they absolve them from the crimes of heresy laid to their charge ordinarily by other Papists. I am also credibly now of late informed from a very good hand, That the Cardinal 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 Cardinal would not lightly venture upon such a Proposition without some preparatives, and hopes to effect something, &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 jar with the Pope, for the maintaining of the privileges of the King over the ecclesiastic Persons in France; but all this doth not hinder any whit his concurrence in the main plot of the Conclave; but rather to emulate the forwardness 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 friar sent forth and appointed by the Conclave, to go 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 yield unto some kind of Reformation thereof, Salvo jure & honore Pontificio, by some general council, which the Emperor should call, with the consent of the Princes of Europe; that so the common sort might receive satisfaction. This friar is now at this instant still in his negotiation, supported to that effect, with means and assistants for correspondency, by the Emperor, and the King of Polonia: The discovery of this plot is come to my knowledge of late, and he was moved by a Providence of God himself, 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 far 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 general kind of politic transaction of differences in Religion, by the power of civil authority, with so many Protestant Princes as can privately or publicly be gained thereunto, that if others who will not condescend to such an agreement, be moved for conscience sake to bear witness against it, they may be crushed by Authority, and suppressed; and when the sounder part of Protestants shall be thus taken out of the way, and not able to peep, than his authority may be fully established over those that shall reunite unto him without contradiction.  
Thus the Pope dealt at first with the Hussites in Bohemia, for after a long war, wherein the Bohemians had wearied all their Neighbours, he saw that by violence they could not be brought to a constant and voluntary yielding unto him, therefore he proposed Conditions of agreements unto the greatest part of them, which was less sound, by yielding unto them four or five Articles for the redress 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 days of Luther, and these later times, wherein again they were the first sufferers. The same purpose is now manifestly in hand to deal with all Protestant Churches, but chiefly with those in Germany in like manner; that if the Austrio-Bavarian faction in Germany can either by fair or foul means bring any considerable party of the Protestant Church anywhere, but chiefly within Germany itself, to yield unto the plausible Conditions which may be proposed for the redress of common grievances, than 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 Emperor takes in Germany, the same will be followed in Polonia and in France; so that except God disappoint this plot by a wonderful providence, as he used to work in all his ways, there is no possibility in human appearance, and by human ways to avoid the effect of it, which will be the setting up again 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 practice is to bring their Enterprise to perfection. I know that God useth to laugh the wisdom of this world to scorn, and taketh the crafty in their own devices, and that as heretofore always 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 own Cause yet, although I know I am confidently persuaded that God will do so, yet I say we ought not to be negligent in doing our duty: but taking the most likely course, we 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 own names sake? nor is it unlikely to be so, if we consider the accomplishment of prophecies, 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 God's time to work now in his own way, and not according to human appearance? And this very consideration maketh me the more earnest towards you that seem 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 affairs. Now I conceive his way to be not a way of great strength and force, but a way of spiritual wisdom and integrity, tending to advance the kingdom of his Son, in managing the controvers●y of his Church. If then all the outward undertakings whatsoever they may be, go not along with God in his way, and are not made subordinate unto this end; they will be in vain 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 may judge of it, and submit it as you shall think fit to be judged of by others, that are well-willers to the Cause; It is then briefly this.  
First, I think it necessary that both his Majesty and the Prince Elector be made sensible of the dangerous consequence of the papal plot against Protestancy.  
Then the Prince Elector should be dealt withal 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 bear the reproaches of them that reproach the truth of Christianity, and the hatred of those that hate the gospel 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 himself in all his ways towards God in bearing up this Cause, how that he ought not to seek himself in it, but should make the upholding of Protestancy, and not the regaining of his Lands and Titles, his true inward aim, and consequently to do all in subordination to God, and not by human wisdom and policy, &c. If this could be truly (as I am persuaded he is very capable of) wrought upon him, than I would not despair of a blessing upon that which he may take in hand; He being thus wrought upon to make God his counsel and strength in all things to manage faithfully his Cause; could have some other Counsellors adjoined to him, besides those which he now hath: Men of exemplary and entire lives, men that should strengthen him in the true aim of his Cause, to keep it unmovable in his heart; men that are versed in public Treaties about the cause, and experienced in State affairs, chiefly in the German Prince's Courts; such a one is N. N. without whose judgement and experience, I conceive his business 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 work, for the contrivance of the counsels thereof toward foreign 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 work; not of the outward military supply which may be sent for him, but of the spiritual part of the work which should tend to uphold Protestancy against Popery, not only in Germany, but everywhere else: I conceive then that such as undertake to restore the House Palatine in Germany, should make the quarrel not in pretence, but in truth (as indeed it is) a matter of Religion, and so should resolve to 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, aught to be made a public business; and in all Treaties with foreign States, and deliberations about foreign affairs, it ought to come into consideration; and all ambassadors towards other Protestants, should be instructed to deal 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 counsel given in the Senate.  
If the Cause of Religion should be made a public business, then public ways and means 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 kinds of means should be set a-work, the one should serve to make known unto the world what true Protestancy is, the other should serve to oppose the ways of Popery, in undermining it; I will name only the heads of these means as now they lie in my conception; To make true Protestancy known unto the world, thoughts must be had, how to make the tenor of their Common Faith, and the Rules of their practice in their public and private profession of the gospel, better evident unto the world then hitherto they have been.  
For the tenor of their common Faith, it may be evident two ways; First, if the harmony of Confessions be reprinted (for it is wholly out of print) and in some things enlarged and completed. Secondly, if a course could be taken to make scriptural knowledge more common to all in the plain and evident truths thereof, and less entangled in disputes, and subject to various interpretations amongst the learned. The first may be done by using means to make the literal sense of the Text and the clear doctrines thereof, plain for the vulgar use, and fit for the ordinary reading of all men, by the printing of Bibles with Notes, and brief 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 doubtful, whereupon the godly learned could be moved to agree amongst themselves, that by common principles in the analogy 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 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 enlarge 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 ecclesiastical. Concerning the rules of Protestants common practice, in their public 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 than Means should be thought upon, how the Rules of their public Worship, in their ecclesiastical 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 practices, and by conforming their actions herein unto that which is expressed and prescribed in the Word, that they may show themselves true unto their own principles, wherein they maintain against Popery, that God's Worship should be truly spiritual according to his will, and not clogged and mixed with human inventions. And to bring this to pass, all their ecclesiastical Constitutions should be compared one with another, and their fundamental agreement amongst themselves, and with the express Rules in the Word, should be taken and distinguished from the circumstantial matters, wherein the free and indifferent custom of Nations, not unlawful to be used, make them differ one from another. This their agreement in substantial, and difference in diaphorall practices, wherein every Church hath its own liberty, might be published, as the Harmony of Rules in public Worship observed by Protestants in conformity to God's Ordinances, and what is overplus as a clog and mixture of human 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 public Treaties, and synodical meeting could be brought about in due time amongst them, it would be a great settlement unto themselves in the ways of Truth, and a special 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 several Callings and Charges belonging to all these, that are Members of the Church and commonwealth. Here then should be a substantial 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 household societies. And in like manner other material descriptions of the several duties of ecclesiastical and civil charges, how they are, or aught to be discharged conscionably in the presence of God, should be put forth, to inform all of the integrity of their ways and intentions. Here than the duties belonging to the pastoral Charge, and to the doctoral Charge, and to the Helpets in the one and other Charge, such as are Elders and Deacons in the Church; and schoolmasters for the education of youths, should be laid open. Also the Charge of the Magistrate as he is governor and Judge of the people; and the duty of the Subject as he is under superior 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 several brief 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 licentiousness, 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 universities, would be of great use to make all Protestants be of one mind in their profession of Christianity before the world, and free them from many odious impressions which evil Statists and Emissaries of the Pope beget in the minds of Princes against them, whereby more hurt is done than 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 several 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 a-work how to bring these things to pass. 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 council in Germany by the Emperor's authority, to rectify some general grievances; if Protestants have these Declarations and evidences to make the tenor of their common Faith and practice appear in a readiness, to offer it to be judged by that council, 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 anybody's 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 looked upon aloof, and suspected as dangerous Men by all sides, or laughed at in secret as men of odd and singular conceits, that fancy unto themselves Castles in the air, and impossible undertakings. Verily I confess the undertakings are impossible, not per se, but per accidens, by reason of the stupidity of men's spirits in matters of a public nature, and by reason of their great partiality which doth blind them in all other things, not serving to their private ends and ways. Nor do most men that I meet withal, mind 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 owl among the rest of the Birds of the Forest. For all this while I have been knocking at a deaf man's door, intending to put men in mind of these things, and seeking help to bring them to pass, I have spent my time and strength in vain. Now than 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 cross unto them in their proceedings against us. They labour and plot how to divide us amongst ourselves, and to feed our disputes in Religion and jealousies of States, and to bring everywhere some evil 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 pass, 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 profess? 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 men's 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 fundamental maxim of their State: That the Causes of divisions amongst Protestant Churches and States must be remedied by some effectual Negotiation, whereof the preparatives being already made to their hand, rather by a Providence of God, then by any man's instigation and encouragement, they will be the less excusable if they make not use of the same by taking notice of the Means which may be showed 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 ecclesiastical, how it may concur with the aim of a civil Confederation among Protestants, which is in print, & was sent unto you 6 or 7 weeks ago. But if no such public Negotiation can be as yet intended, than a more private, and yet no less effectual way might be used, by setting afoot a theological Correspondency with Divines already engaged in the Work of Reconcilement. The manner and Method of entertaining this Correspondency, and the usefulness of it might easily be showed, 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 fly 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 public 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 the papal plot heretofore mentioned: Therefore whatsoever else may be intended, if my counsel 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 majesty's disposing, if those that are found guilty be punished and deprived of the gifts and privileges which they enjoyed without doing service to the public therein.  
Thus you see my desire, and the care that doth trouble my mind about this business. Having thus discharged the burden of my thoughts upon your wisdom and discretion; I find my spirit at rest, because I make no doubt but God will address 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 join my daily prayers with you and your endeavours, that they may not be unfruitful in this matter. Thus I commend you to the Grace of God, and rest,  
Your faithful friend and servant in Christ. London, Octob. 4. Anno 1641.  
FINIS.