THE Necessity of some NEARER Conjunction and Correspondency amongst EVANGELICALL PROTESTANTS, for the Advancement of the NATIONALL CAUSE, AND Bringing to pass the Effect OF THE COVENANT.  
London Printed, 1644.   

THE Necessity of some Nearer Conjunction and Correspondency amongst Evangelicall Protestants, for the Advancement of the Nationall Cause, and bringing to pass the Effect of the Covenant.  
AS the desperate and malicious Attempts of implacable Adversaries to the true Reformed Religion within the three Kingdoms, is a most just and necessary Ground for all true Protestants, under the Authority of the State, to enter into a League and Covenant one with another, for their mutual Defence, and the Preservation of their Religion: So the Bond by which Religious souls in the profession of the same Truth, through the Communion of Saints, are knit together in God, is a most Laudable, Lawful and Powerful Inducement to move them to pray earnestly unto Almighty God, and to endeavour really, amongst all Godly men, that all other Churches and States, either oppressed, or in danger to be oppressed by the same Antichristian Tyranny, may be brought unto the same, or the like Union and Covenant, for the Enlargement of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ; for their own Safety under the Ordinances of the Gospel, and for the Preservation of Christian Kingdoms and States from the Troubles and Ruins which the encroaching Power and subtle Plots of wicked Enemies do intent to bring upon them.  
These things being sufficiently expressed, and fully intended, the one in the Preface, the other in the Close of the Nationall Covenant, (the first, to warrant the Undertaking; the second, to confirm the prosecuting of this Religious Nationall work) do give me cause to make a Motion, which may, by God's Grace, become an Effectual means, not only to help forward the Business to this Period and Issue which may prove the final Overthrow of Antichrist in Europe; but also to open a way, through a near Correspondency and Conjunction of Protestants amongst themselves, to dilate the Bounds of Christ's Evangelicall Church, so far, as to offer, in due time, the Light of Saving Truth both unto Jews and Gentiles, who as yet are in the shadow of Death and Darkness.  
Nor ought any to think that this Aim is too Vast and Large, 
Rom. 11. 〈…〉  seeing it is clearly revealed to be Gods Will to bring it to pass: And it may be made apparent, that no Means are so likely and proportionate to produce such an Effect, as these which are now in God's hand, and most seasonable to be applied unto the fulfilling of the Covenant, and fittest to be raised upon the Endeavours necessary for our own Preservation.  
For if any will rationally consider the Troubles of all States and Churches in Europe, he may easily observe that they proceed Originally from three Causes. The first is, the Affectation of a Spiritual Absolute Power over men's Souls. The second, an Absolute Temporal Monarchy over men's Estates and Bodies. And the third is, the want of Union and good Intelligence amongst those, who, labouring to free themselves from the one and the other Yoke, and Maintaining their Religious and Natural Rights and Privileges in a distracted and confused way, rather weaken than strengthen one another's hands in all their Enterprises.  
The Spiritual Absolute Dominion over men's Souls, is the Aim of the Pope and his Adherents; amongst which, we must reckon our Lordly Bishops.  
The Absolute Temporal Monarchy hath been the Aim of the House of Austria, till Sweden and France came in to break his Strength and frustrate his Intentions; which they have done.  
These Papal and Austrian Designs, have divided the Affections of all Men in Europe; either in respect of Conscience, or of Civil Interests. As for the Austrian Designs, they are no more henceforth Formidable: But the Papal Intentions are deeper laid. Nor is the strength of his Counsel and his way duly regarded; and therefore it is also Prevailing, because not rightly resisted.  
The Pope, in opposition to protestancy, which hath almost overthrown his Hierarchy, doth labour to preserve himself, and regain, in the Unsettlement of Protestant States, and the Overthrow of their Churches, his former Power, chief in Germany, and in Great-Britain, the two principal Seats of the Protestant Religion.  
His Way is twofold: The first Political, the second Ecclesiastical. By the first, he doth Unite all Popish Princes in one Way and Counsel against those Princes that he calls Heretics; to weaken them, to corrupt their Counsels, and to keep them under, lest they should come to have the Managing of Affairs to his disadvantage. Thus he made the Princes of Germany conspire, contrary to all the Fundamental Laws of the Empire, and Rights of Princes, to translate the Electoral Dignity from the Palatine to the Bavarian House, that the Protestant Voices might be Weakened in the Supreme College of State, and by that Means all Affairs managed for the Advantage of Papists, who now have distributed the States of Protestants amongst themselves, and to serve his Ends they maintain their own Interests.  
By the second, he divideth the Spirits of Protestants, and increaseth all the Disorders and Confusions which are amongst them; partly by Emissaries of all sorts, which he doth send forth; some out of his Colleges de Propaganda, some out of other Orders and Societies: partly by Treaties tending to patch up Matters of Difference under General Terms, wherein he may find his Advantages. The Emissaries, they undermine the Affections chief of the Common sort; And those that are instructed to treat, deal Principally with such as are in Places of Authority Civil and Ecclesiastical, either to discover their Counsels, to disappoint them; or to Corrupt their Inclinations, if they find them Pliable.  
And all this the Papal Conclave doth prosecute, with undefatigable Diligence, with innumerable Agents, with infinite Cost and Charge, with all manner of Crafty Insinuations, and fair Pretences, and with all the Zeal that the Opinion of Deserving Heaven, and the Hope of Temporal Greatness and Gain can breed in Superstitious, in Ambitious, and in Covetous Minds. Nor is there any, as yet, amongst the several Bodies of Protestants, who is set to Watch over his ways, and to walk contrary to him for their Common Interest, labouring to disappoint his Plots, by Means opposite to his Designs.  
This want of Conjunction of Protestants, not minding his Practices, hath given him a mighty Advantage against them: nor is it possible to Accomplish his Overthrow, except this Fault be mended: nor can this Defect otherwise be mended, but by some nearer Correspondency of Protestants amongst themselves, for their mutual Preservation against his Enterprises.  
Now to set this correspondency on Foot, none have so great cause, and so good an opportunity as the British Nation, and this present Parliament of England. For all the Popish power of Europe is now stirred up, and bend to hinder that work of Reformation, which they have taken in hand: therefore they may justly and aught also to move all Protestants to join with them as in a Common cause, wherein they are all jointly concerned. Now to bring this to pass, as already by Virtue of the Nationall Covenant, there is a Tie betwixt the Nations, and in the Committee of both Kingdoms, and Assembly of Divines, there is a door opened to settle a further course of brotherly correspondency, as well in Temporal as Spiritual Matters, between the British Churches: so by virtue of the last clause of the same Covenant, and by Reason of the Joint both Spiritual and Temporal Interests, which all Protestant Churches have in Common, and aught to follow sociably for their mutual Safety and Edification, there may and should be a further tye of Religious Communion betwixt the British and their Neighbour Protestant's beyond the Seas, because the truth of Religion cannot well be preserved in the one, without the concurrence of the other. Therefore some course of correspondency in Spiritual matters should be settled and thought upon to move Neighbours to join in Counsels with us, and in some concurrent endeavours to cross the Practices of the common enemy. And to make these Councils and endeavours more effectually considerable and really profitable, to the Protestant cause in foreign parts, it would be of great use to take the Palatine cause in hand which hath a direct influence upon all foreign Protestants, and wherein the Papal faction doth most directly oppose abroad, the Increase of our Religion. For seeing this house hath for the defence of the Protestant Religion suffered the loss of all, it is just that they which will own the cause of Religion, should intent to make it considerable again, and the head of the common Interest among foreigners in opposition to Popery and the Austrian designs.  
And to do this, some of the Committee of both Kingdoms with some Divines of the Assembly, joined to them by Order of Parliament, might be appointed to assist the Prince Elector in Council, as a more special Committee for the advancement of this design, to which effect also some Agents might be subordinate to them, and joined to them, to Negotiate the Work abroad, preparatorily, till a more perfect league might be framed with Foreigners.  
Now to lay a sure foundation for such a correspondency (whether it be intended with a respect to him or no, (there is no better way, then to begin with the Churches of the Low-Countries, our next Neighbours, and therein with a settlement of the British Churches in these parts, that in the Communion of Spiritual Counsels, tending to the public good and proceeding from the Assembly of Divines by Order of Parliament unto the British Churches in the Nether-lands, the Churches and Divines (together with us) of these parts may be drawn to a concurrence in strengthening of the hands of other Protestants, who have born the weight of persecution these many years in Germany, and yet lie under the burden of many pressures, which are utterly like to oppress them if no remedy be found.  
This Brotherly correspondency with the Churches of the Low-Countries, as it might advance greatly the Councils of Ecclesiastical Reformation now in hand in England, and be a great strengthening unto all the Proceed and Resolutions of Parliament tending that way: so it would mainly sunder the affections of all men, and draw their hearts to the love of the cause, and consequently facilitate all the Parliamentary Civil undertake for the settlement of public affairs; it would dishearten or disappoint all the Plots and endeavours of our enemies abroad, whereby they labour to make our Neighbours disaffected with us, and clog the supplies of help which would otherwise proceed more readily for our relief then now they do. And in a word, it would through the means of spiritual Union and holy Communion (which God hath recommended to be carefully entertained by his children in going about his Work) draw down a powerful blessing from heaven upon all our undertake.  
FINIS.