A faithful and seasonable Advice, OR, The necessity of a correspondency for the advancement of the Protestant Cause.  
Humbly suggested to the great council of England assembled in Parliament.  
Printed by John Hammond 1643.   

The necessity of a correspondency for the advancement of the Protestant Cause.  
THE troubles of Europe proceed originally from two causes: the one is the affectation of a spiritual, the other of a temporal Monarchy. That is the papal, this is, or hath been, the Spanish, and may be from henceforth, the French ambition. The Pope doth labour to uphold his tottering Hierarchy, and to regain the power which he had over the consciences of all Men, before it was cried down as Antichristian by protestancy. The House of Spain did labour to erect a new State in Europe, under the pretence of upholding and propagating the Catholic Religion against Protestants, till the French and Bavarians have pulled down his old one. These two, and their pretensions have divided the affections of all men, either in respect of conscience, or of civil interests. Each hath his own way; but that of the Pope is most considerable, because it is without resistance, and hath assistance of both the others, whereas each of the other pretenders to the Monarchy of State, doth oppose his Fellow. The Pope's way to preserve himself, and to regain the power which he had lost, is to work the overthrow of the Protestant Religion, and to trouble the States wherein that Religion is planted. To do this, he maketh use of two advantages which he hath above protestants; the one is civil, the other ecclesiastical. The civil is, that he is able to set all the Popists 〈…〉 ces, and their chief Counsellors a-work, to intend jointly the same thing against Protestants, as well in general to oppose them, as in particular to weaken them in their esteem and power. As for example, he hath moved them all to contribute to a league against them, to divest them everywhere of all dignities; and particularly to weaken their voices in the electoral college. And to effect these and such like things, he can infuse into their counsels all the maxims of state, which are opposite to the faith and fundamental grounds of the liberties of Protestants in the public profession of their Religion, and to persuade the use of these maxims, he findeth out means to make every one apprehend hopes of advantage for himself by the ruin of Protestants. For he knoweth, that it is not so much zeal for Religion, as interests, which moveth States. The ecclesiastical advantage is the power which he hath to breed and send forth Emissaries towards the common sort of Protestants, and to set treaties on foot towards the more learned, such as are most for his own advantage. The Emissaries are bred in his colleges, of several Nations, but espcioally in his college de propaganda fide, which is founded to undermine the states of Protestants, by sowing or fomenting the seeds of division amongst them. And to this effect also, the more learned of his clergy are employed to treat with the learned Protestants for an agreement, which may be patched up with some, or with all Protestants, by mere authority of superiors, upon general terms, and in outward superficial rites, salvo jure Primatus Pontificii, that is, with an acknowledgement of his primacy for orders sake amongst the ●●●●gie● which i● Protestants upon any terms will but grant, he for a time will leave them to their liberties, but afterward by degrees bring them in subjection to his usurped power in all things both of Faith and Pra ctise. Now his great advantage to work out all his plots irresistably is this, that amongst the several Bodies of Protestants, there is none that taketh the matter of their common interest and preservation to heart, to labour to disa●point his plots by means opposite to his designs, therefore it is certain, that so long as Protestants have no such aim to maintain jointly the common interest of Religion and Liberties, but are divided in their counsels, that in human appearance their states must be weakened & in the end overthrown; but if a joint purpose could be wrought amongst them for their common safety, and a good correspondency settled in their Churches and States, to prosecute the means thereof, towards all those whom it doth concern, there is no doubt but he would lose his labour, and the Consent of protestants to maintain the light of the truth, and the liberty of the Gospel, would fully accomplish his overthrow. Now to set this correspondency in a joint intention a foot amongst Protestants, none have so great cause as the state of great Britain, and the present Parliaement of England, against which all the Popish Power of Europe is bent to hinder by all possible means, the Reformation now begun in that Island, therefore it will be altogether necessary, for the said Parliament to move all other Protestants to join with them for the maintenance of the Protestant Cause against Popery. This cannot be done otherwise, but by the means of a good correspondency, which may be first begun with the State and Church of Scotland, and then jointly with them prosecuted towards foreign Protestants: And to this effect fit instruments should be chosen, and made use of these should be joined in a Committee or standing counsel at home to attend the work of a public Correspondency with forrainners, and to unite them in the prosecuting of their true interests and common quarrel against Papists. And to this end they should ta●e the Palatine cause in hand, to make that House (whose interest and right is greatest among foreign Protestants) considerable; and to assist it in recovering the right thereof, which it hath lost in defence of the Protestant liberties in Germany.  
Now the way to make that House considerable and by it to uphold amongst forrainners the Protestant cause, is to assist the Prince Elector first with counsel and then with Strength. To assist him with counsel, they should join to him some of their own Counsellors, to help him to manage the work of a public correspondency with Protestants in their name; and they should furnish him with means of support requisite to maintain other councillors and Agents fit to negotiate in his own name, his own cause▪ and to keep afoot the public interest with the Protestants of Germany, and neighbouring States.  
To assist him with Strength, by 〈…〉 secuting of this correspondency with foreign States, they should make a League for him, and when their troubles should be set led, join with others their forces to re-establish him in his lands and dignities, to uphold in the same the Common Cause.  
If this groundwork of counsel whereof in respect of foreigners chiefly in Germany, the Prince Elector could be made the head, be not first laid, it is sure that no Army nor treaty with Austria will ever prevail to settle matters. But if such a Negotiation be (as it easily can be, even in the midst of these troubles in England) set afoot, and thereby all those that have a real interest in the welfare of Protestants, made to concur Counsels with great Britain, and the palative House in Germany then it is not to be doubted but that with the supply of small forces from England and Scotland, the Cause and Rights of all Protestants in the inerest of that House, may be gained; and the whole papal and Spanish power as well in the Empire, as elsewhere, irresisistably overthrown. Perhaps the Austrian power in Germany may be moved to bend their Counsels for the true? Palatine Eleitor against the Bavarian and French design, to keep up a Protestant party, that in balancing the one by the other, it may stand. But as for the French, it is certain, that they in all things, and chifly in zeal for the papal interests, doth emulate the Spanish power, and is no less active; and as now matters are brought about, more powerful to advance the same, than Spain is: and therefore in the aim of a Common correspondency amongst Protestants, must be as much looked into, or more, than any other State.  
FINIS.