A REPRESENTATION Of the STATE of the PROTESTANT CHURCHES IN EUROPE: Tending to awaken the Spirits of those only who will lay to heart the Afflictions of Joseph.  
THe State of the Protestant Churches is a Concernment which we are all bound to lay deeply to heart at this time, having been engaged many years ago to procure their Peace and Welfare: for if all things be duly considered, we shall perceive that the enemies of the Churches had never so great an advantage against them as now they have: whether we look upon them singly by themselves in all the parts of Europe; or consider the Actings of their common Enemies in the Progress which they do make in their design to ruin them; or lastly if we look upon them jointly as they stand in relation one to another.  
In the first respect if we cast our eye upon Poland, Bohemiah, Moravia, Austria and Silesia, where not long ago were many flourishing and large Churches, we shall see that they are all wholly dissipated and wasted.  
In Transylvania and Hungaria there are some yet remaining, but they are in so low and uncertain a condition, that upon the least advantage of power which the house of Austria may get, they may in all human appearance be ruined in like manner.  
In Germany the Churches are so divided, and the Protestant States so distracted, that they do not only not concur in any common way of mutual Edification for their mutual preservation, but as the Lutheran party by their contentious Ministry hath set itself to destroy the rest; So God doth suffer their chief Protectors the Kings of Sueden and Denmark to make it their chief work to destroy each other. And the Electors of Saxony and Brandenburg without respect to the safety of their Churches, serve the Austrian Design against the Protestant Interest; nor is there any considerable Prince in Germany( set aside the Landgrave of Hessen) who is able to do any thing of moment to maintain that Interest.  
In the low Countries it doth not appear that they have any respect to the Protestant Interest, but their present Actings tend rather to serve the common enemies design against it, then for it.  
In France the Protestant Churches are deprived of their former privileges, for they are so many ways, and in so many places infringed, that they cannot reckon upon them, or make any account of them any more; so that their present standing is a mere Toleration at pleasure,  
In Switzerland the Pope and the Austrians have stirred up, and hired the Popish Cantons to break with the Protestants their fundamental League, upon the account of Religion, by persecuting to death or banishment all such as leave their Superstition to become Proselytes to us.  
In the valleys of piedmont the Duke of Savoy since the Masacre of those Protestants, though Peace was made with them, yet he doth still most cruelly, though not openly oppress and vex them, by giving them up to the power of the Inquisition, which will in the end( if God doth not otherwise provide) destroy them utterly.  
As for ourselves in England, our distracted and unsettled condition is such, and so well known, that it is in vain to speak much of it by way of complaint, when we see no way of Redress as yet opened.  
This is the State of the Churches, if singly considered by themselves, wherein their decaying and almost dying state, maybe red in great Characters of blood, and of confusion in which they lye wallowing.  
But if in the second consideration their state be reflected upon, as opposed by their common enemies, who have so great and so many advantages to destroy them, it is manifest( except God work some miracle for them) that they cannot possibly escape utter ruin and desolation.  
For their adversaries the Papists formerly disunited, are now all united in one design: Their civil differences being now composed, their head, the Pope doth carry on and manage their common interest against Protestants with much subtlety and vigour, not secretly, but openly by innumerable Agents and Emissaries, who are subordinate unto the Congregation De propaganda fide. These do prosecute his Counsels with indefatigable Industry, with great expense, and with all the advantage of public Authority that can be given by him and his Adherents, to countenance and support them. And because it is not unknown, how these Emissaries creep into all Protestant States and Professions, to observe the distances and divisions which they find amongst them to widen and foment them in the minds of the common sort, and cunningly to cast stumbling blocks before all the rest, and thereupon to insinuate with plausibility their own superstitions, therefore we shall not need to insist upon this.  
The thing that is now most observable is, that in France, where there was never any Inquisition formerly admitted, it is now lately introduced, upon some former preparatives made long ago; for the Cardinal Richelieu in his time did first prohibit all foreigners from bearing any public Office in the French Churches and Schools. Then afterward he did by another Inhibition cut off all the correspondency which formerly was between the Churches of France, and the other Protestants of Europe: And now in this juncture of Affairs this Cardinal hath brought in the Congregation De Propaganda fide( which is an Inquisition under another name) and it doth begin to act with public Authority prohibiting all Commerce from abroad for the vent of Divinity Books; So that they suffer not the Bibles which are brought from Genevah to be sold any more, but do confiscate them; and no doubt they will proceed to suppress the printing of them also within their own Dominions; and it is apparent that in every City in France, where there is a Church of Protestants, there is also a certain number of Emissaries belonging to the Congregation De propaganda fide, settled to oppose them and vex them; so that it is as manifest as the Sun at noon day, that this design is universally to be prosecuted against all the Churches, both in France and elsewhere; as soon as they shall see the Protestant States sufficiently weakened by divisions.  
If then in the last place we should contemplate the Protestant Churches and States jointly as they stand in Relation one to another, to see in what posture we find them, to oppose this combination of their enemies so strongly and universally laid; although we hope that at last Babylon shall fall, and that God will disappoint all their plots; yet it is heavily to be lamented, that whiles our common and known adversaries are so manifestly diligent and active to quench the light of the Gospel, and to disturb all the Protestant States and Churches which hold it forth to the world; by which means Atheism, profaneness and Superstition are not only upheld, but propagated in the world abundantly, and broke in amongst us; I say whiles the Instruments of Satan are so busy to advance his kingdom, it is heavily to be lamented, that we who pretend to advance the Kingdom of Christ, and by solemn Vows and Promises to God, and before all the world, are bound to it, are so careless of the interest of Christ, that it seems it is made a doubt amongst some of us, Whether it be lawful for a Christian Magistrate to have any respect in his place to the profession of Christianity more then to Heathenism, Mahumetanism or judaisme? and whiles this is made a doubt, all the thoughts of Religion being laid aside as a public Concernment; on the one hand all Licentiousness, profaneness, Blasphemy and wickedness break forth, and bring all manner of reproach upon the Profession of Christanity itself; And on the other hand, the divided Professors of Christanity in their several parties, seek and follow eagerly their particular advantages of power and places to be able to undermine the settlement of each other: Which tends not only to the obstructing of all common Gospel interests, but to the utter subversion of all that seems as yet to have any bottom to stand upon, either in Church or State amongst us.  
It is clear that the Papists have Agents everywhere, and that they have an universal correspondency, to keep us in division within ourselves, and at a distance from all our neighbour Protestants, which is the main of their design against us, whereby they hope not onely to weaken us, but to ruin us. And we are so far from having any Correspondency or Agency either civil or religious, either amongst ourselves to keep up the remainder of our union at whom, or towards others to influence our affections abroad to other Protestants, or to receive theirs, for mutual comfort and Spiritual communion; that we are rather bent to quit all such relations, and to break with them, for ought as yet appears; And our thoughts are so much estranged from having any design set a foot to this effect, that hitherto it hath not been possible to obtain either open countenance or secret assistance for one single Agent, who would make it his work, either at home or abroad to prepare a way for such an enterprise; that is, to procure acquaintance with the best affencted, and to find out such as are sober minded and peaceable to move them and engage them to lay the common Gospel interest to heart jointly with some of us, at least so far as to be able to oblige them to pray for us, or ourselves to pray for them in Cases of extremity when human help doth fail, and deliverance can be expected only from the mighty hand of God immediately. Which certainly is such a defect of Christian Charity both to ourselves and to them; and such a neglect of the Interest of Christs kingdom, and so much contrary to our acknowledged, professed and more then once publicly Protested duty, that it is just with God thus to dash us in pieces one against another, as vessells in which he takes no pleasure, and which are altogether unfit for his service: except we speedily repent, and mind henceforth seriously and sincerely the true common interest of the Gospel, and the main Concernment of our Profession; Which the Lord grant we may at last lay to heart for his names sake and the advancement of his glory in our own preservation.  
Amen.   
FINIS.  

Printed at London for Tho. Underhill at the Anchor in Pauls Church-yard. 1659.