The next way to FRANCE: OR, A SHORT DIALOGUE BETWEEN Two zealous wellwishers for the advancement OF The Kingdom of CHRIST; Viz.  
H. P. and B. G.  
LONDON, Printed for GILES CALVERT, at the black Spread-Eagle at the West-end of Paul's. 1651.   

The next way to France: OR, A short Dialogue, &c.  H. P. 
FRriend, what sayest thou from abroad?  B. G. 
That it's conceived to be a convenient time for to put life and vigour into those of the Reformed Religion, that thereby they might endeavour to recover themselves.  H. P. 
Why do they not lay hold on the present occasion to join with the Prince of Condé, that so by his means they may regain their Sixscore Towns of security, (which they formerly lost) as well as their Three hundred thousand crowns yearly Revenue, and their places of Judicature to boot?  B. G. 
As they lost them for having sided with this Prince of Condé's father, (who, after that he had attained unto his own ends, left them at the French King's mercy, to make the best Composition they could for themselves at the Treaty of Loudun) so may you rest assured, that those of the Reformed Religion will never venture to take up Arms against their King, in the behalf of any party of their own Nation; nor in respect of any foreigners whatsoever, except for such who mind the propagation of the Gospel of Christ, who intend to knock at Rome's gates, and who will not for any worldly respects abandon them.  H. P. 
Do you conceive that their hopes were well fixed, and that they were well secured, whenas the Duke of Soubize was wafted towards Rochel and Ré by the late Duke of Buckingham? Think you not that it was a like business to that of Anthony King of Portugal, whenas he was conducted towards Lisbon by the Earl of Essex?  B. G. 
Those of Rochel made Sir William Beecher attend half a day at their gates, before they would admit him; for that they were not well assured of the reality of that good which was pretended unto them, as then; nor did there so much as one man of those of the Reformed Religion budge after the descent at the Isle of Ré: for that none of them (as aforesaid) will in the least enter into any League with whatsoever parties, unless they be qualified as abovesaid; such who shall have assured them (by such persons as may be confided in, on the profession of true Christianity) that they will go thorough-stitch with the propagation of the Gospel's purity; who will not cease till they have knocked at Rome's gates, and who shall appear in their own persons amongst them.  H. P. 
As than whatsoever may be conceived of a possibility of their stirring at present, or of their siding with the Prince of Condé, must even pass for fair nights dreams, as well as their bruited reflecting on the present proceedings in England and Scotland, and on him who appears to be the great Joshua of Britain, who (as wise men do conceive) ought to be sought unto: for▪ did not those of Rochel send a very considerable number of their select members unto King James, as well as unto the late King? And did not the States of the United Provinces send their great Barnavelt, with two more of their Deputies, to seek unto Queen Elizabeth?  B. G. 
Nay, did not Henry the Fourth of France send unto her? And doth not the Paper-room at Whitehall contain one of his Letters, bearing these very words: My sister, my sister, if you would have opened your coffers, your brother Henry would not have been constrained to go to Mass? This was a King put to great straits by a Spanish League. But in case the commonwealth of England should deem fitting to mind the preservation of those of the Reformed Religion in France, you will find it altogether necessary to put them secretly into a strong and assured hope thereof, and of the abetting of them; and to insinuate the same unto them by such as could waft (even from their bosoms, to the Prince of Condé and his Party) their longing desires to see him prosper: As then that Prince and his party would not run the danger of being gained by Titles and Treasures, but would stick close unto his first resolutions and principles; whereby he would continue to cut out work for the Parasites and Sejanus' of that Court, to pick their teeth withal.  H. P. 
It were no hard task to feed the ears of some of the French Reformed Preachers with fair hopes, and also those who may serve as Interlopers.  B. G. 
Take my word for it, nothing so much hath been the overthrow of that Cause, as such ear-feedings, and the over-prodigalities of promised fair hopes: for that we find by experience, how that at the greatest Assembly that ever was held of those of the Reformed Religion in France, (at which several Dukes, Marquesses, Barons, and an infinite number of such as were thought to be the very Pillars of the Church, assisted) even as then, Five and twenty of them fell off at a clap, and deserted the rest; insomuch as that they were then called in French, Le meschant quartron, for that they had betrayed the whole party. In the same manner, the most part of all those who during these later Ages were employed by the French (to negotiate with their Neighbours) did also betray their parties; as well such as were entrusted to treat for those of the Reformed Religion, as those who were to treat for the Roman Catholics, and likewise those which were employed by the discontented Princes. Finally, those who treated for the late Queen-mother of France, and for the present Duke of Orleans, during their exiles, served them no better.  H. P. 
By the matter as then I perceive that there is little account to be made of those giddy-brained and perfidiously-given men, who are so much addicted to Whimsies and Romances. And should the Lord's work (which solely depends on his providence) be entrusted to such Bunglers, it would surely be but in a desperate condition. You see how marvellously it hath thus far prospered, by the attendance of the Almighty's providence, by those who have fought under the Banners of Christ in this Land. True it is, that weak and earthen vessels are oftentimes employed in the refining of Gold, even in the most violent fires.  B. G. 
The same Lord who hath been pleased to bless the proceedings at home, may also do the like in their endeavours to heed those occasions which are requisite to be reflected on from abroad; and may make them so successful, as that they shall not run the hazard, or need to apprehend the being foiled by the weakness and inconstancy of others. And doubtless there may be a great deal of good done (Providence being the Leader) if so be these present occasions were heeded; for that thereby, sundry mischiefs which are like to ensue, might be prevented. The good which is to be done, might be promoted on the true Principles of Conscience and Religion. So likewise the preventing of the evil which is apprehended, may be carried on, on the Principles of Self-charity and Justice.  H. P. 
I doubt not but that you are able to prove what you say.  B. G. 
Why truly I can do it to the purpose; for that you must of necessity grant, how that God himself divided the speech of those who went about to build the Tower of Babel. He caused the Midianites to fight against their brethren, in Gideon's days. He sent a spirit of dissension between Abimelech and the Sichemites, for that he would destroy both the one and the other. He suffered a lying spirit to act by the mouth of his own Prophets, for to bring Ahab to a fall in Ramoth-Gilead. He permitted Samson to fire the fox's tails, to set them on to do mischief. Paul himself raised a difference between the Sadduces and the Pharisees, that so he might work his own deliverance. In the like manner, it's void of all doubt, that the public Good may be endeavoured with a very safe conscience, although it should be effected by the causing of a confusion amongst men; yea, although they were neighbours; especially such, who▪ should they be left at liberty, would sheathe their swords in our own bowels: whenas, in case they be prevented therein, the truth of the Gospel may thereby have a free passage, and so consequently the Kingdom of Christ may be advanced; which is the main thing to be minded. As for the accessary results of such an Undertaking, it must needs be granted that it cannot choose but be a great advantage for any State to cut out work amongst its neighbours abroad, that so it may have rest at home: a maxim which in all times hath been held void of all dispute, and the which hath swayed amidst all men; not only those of the first Age, and the second, or during the times that Hannibal left Carthage, to war on the Romans, or whenas the Athenians and Thebans bestirred themselves to puzzle the Spartans; but even in these later Ages, in our grandfathers and father's days, (the particulars whereof may be as yet fresh in our memories) viz. How that in Philip the second King of Spain's Reign, the French King's, the Emperor's, Queen Elizabeth of England, the King of Denmark's, the Swedes, nay and amidst the state's General of the Low-Countries, the same hath been found to be a necessary course, and an usual practice: whereunto the said King Philip the second had so much accustomed himself, viz. to mind and endeavour the embroiling and setting by the ears together of all the other Christian Princes, as that the several inhabitants of Europe were at length constrained to imitate him therein, though not to the same extension of their consciences as he did; especially whenas his extreme passion, illimitated ambition, and cruel firebrands, moved him to see all his neighbours on fire: nay, he endeavoured to have made use of Henry the Fourth of Navarre, (as then of the Reformed Religion) to make war against the French King Henry the Third; when at the selfsame time the said King Philip the second made an agreement with the Infidel Muley Malucco. It may therefore (without any further allegations or examples) be maintained, that those who do not much differ in the point of Religion from those of the Reformed Religion in France, may lawfully use all plausible means to back and abet them in the advancing of the Kingdom of Christ, and in their opposing of that Faction which meaneth nought save destruction unto the Britains; and so interrupt them in their running alongst on the Lord's providence. Thus I have made good the goodness, justness, necessity, and plausibleness of the Undertaking.  H. P. 
But as now pray resolve me concerning the apprehend mischiefs which may ensue, if so be this present occasion be not heeded.  B. G. 
Hereunto I answer, That as there is nothing so inconstant as a Frenchman's spirit; so is there nothing so furious in its resentments: As for instance; the Flemings can very well determinate whether the French furies and massacres were not far more violent and outrageous than the Spanish: although it cannot be denied, but that the French will also passionately love and befriend, where once they are engaged. All which infers, how that there is nothing so apparent, as that in case the discontented French Princes should perceive that neither those of the Reformed Religion in France, nor themselves (when once engaged) could expect to be countenanced, abetted, and backed, they would as then with the more violence hasten to patch up their own domestic Jars at any rates, as also their foreign Wars with Spain: which if they should once compass, what can there then be expected, but that they would all together join their malice and forces towards the impediting of the Britains their design, and so unanimously proceed to the troubling of the English Seas? So hath it likewise ever been accounted for an infallible truth, that though the French Nation be excessively inconstant▪ ready and capable at each turning of the wind to embroil one another, and to commit most egregious oversights; so are they as ready and capable to piece up their own differences again, and to find out Expedients to salve over their faults. Moreover, as they are more violent than any other Nations in the hatching of mischiefs against those with whom they fall foul (being▪ as Cesar observes at their first onset more than men) so likewise are they easily pacified, and soon reconciled. Wherefore, my conclusion thereon is no other than this, Viz. That although Divine Providence steers all things on its own score, yet that there is an obligation which may very well to observe, and to make good; and that same seems at present to be in season; to wit, That a fair, civil, and hopeful demonstration might be made of Amity and countenance unto those of the Reformed Religion in France, and unto the discontented Princes: whenas this following truth will not admit of any gainsaying viz. How that both of them do conceive that they have sufficiently expressed their meanings thereon.  H. P. 
By what, I pray?  B. G. 
By that which I have instanced on to show and to unfold; so that if you heed it not, it must needs lie at your own door: And the which is the less to be excused, for that in two years' time the said Particular could not so much as be permitted to be represented: nor was there so much as any notice taken That the same was grounded on Credentials, whereon it was to have been manifested. Besides, men have not Letters Patents for their lives durance; nor can it be expected, that whenas Parties do not meet with the least encouragement at all for the heeding of their Overtures in fit time, they should as then expect any better success on their Proffers, than those who sow seeds on Ice or Snow.  
FINIS.  
Octob. 17. Anno 1651.