The Interest of England in the Protestant Cause, Postscript
A Poſtſcript To the Chriſtian READER.
TO fill up this Page which otherwiſe would have been empty; I ſhall impart unto thee an extract out of Sir Edwyn Sands his Book called Europae Speculum: or a View of the State of Religion in the weſtern parts of the world, page 183, with my obſervation thereupon.
He ſaith thus. The end (of theſe unhappy differences in Religi n between the Reformed and Lutheran Proteſtants) will be that their enemies ſhall laugh, when themſelves ſhall have cauſe to weep, unleſs the graciouſneſs of God stir up ſome worthy Princes of renown and reputation with both the ſides, to enterpoſe their wiſedom, induſtry, and authority, for the uniting of theſe factions, or at leaſt wiſe for reconciling and compoſing thoſe differences in ſome tollerable ſort; a work of immortall fame and deſert, and worthy of none other but of them, of whom this wicked baſe world is not worthy.
Sir Edwyn hath been a true Prophet in this matter; the enemies of the Truth have had cauſe hitherto; and have new cauſe to laught at both our Eccleſiaſticall and Civill diviſions, and to hope thereby for our ruine: and I cannot diſprove the remedy which he propoſes, namely that ſome Princes of power with both ſides ſhould interpoſe either to unite the parties, or at leaſt to allay their differences; I ſay this indeavour of Princes is not to be diſ-owned; onelyonly I would have this caution added, that their endeavour in doing this ſhould not be ſo much Authoritative and Magiſtraticall as Chriſtian and Evangelicall; if then they and their Counſellours could without Politicall ends and Intereſts in true ſimplicity and Chriſtian ſincerity take the work in hand; to follow it as becometh thoſe that ſerve Jeſus Chriſt in his Goſpel-way, to lead men to the principle, of love, of moderation, and mutual forbearance, there might bee hope by their means to effect ſomthing in the work. But hitherto their interpoſing hath been very little effectuall becauſe the jealouſies of States have been and are ſuch amongſt thoſe that manage the affairs of the world; that for the leaſt difference upon any circumſtantial punctillio of greatneſs they either fall out or at leaſt break off all concurrence in common deſigns. And if at any time they do concur in ſettling matters relating to Conſcience, they then as States mea in Au hority, impoſe them, in a way wholly inconſiſtent with Goſpel liberty; which can never hold where the light doth more and more break forth: For this cauſeth: whole difficultie doth lye in managing the Spirits of men with Chriſtian meekneſs to gain them to their duty, which is
Firſt, wi lingly to declare that whereunto they have attained and wherein they agree with others.
Secondly, faith fully engage themſelves to obſerve the Rules of inoffenſive walking notwithſtanding ſuch differences as are exſtant among, them, if theſe things could be attained (not by any command but by a loving perſwaſion) from each party, the work might be done both there and here; where we have as much need of healing as any where elſe.
End of the text · John Dury, The Interest of England in the Protestant Cause (1659)