The Interest of England in the Protestant Cause, Title page
The Intereſt OF ENGLAND IN THE Proteſtant Cauſe.
Zach. 4.6.
Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit ſaith the Lord of Hoſts.
Iſa. 59.19.
They ſhall fear the name of the Lord from the Weſt, and his glory from the riſing of the Sun: When the enemy ſhall come in like a flood: the Spirit of the Lord ſhall lift up a Standard againſt him.
LONDON, Printed in the Year, MDCLIX.
The Intereſt OF ENGLAND IN THE Proteſtant Cauſe.
THe Duke of Rohan in his life time a wiſe Statesman, an excellent Captain and a zealous Proteſtant did write a Solid diſcourſe, to ſhew the Intereſt of the States of Europe, wherein upon moſt rationall grounds, he doth make it appear, that the Intereſt of England is to make a third party in Europe, upon the Proteſtant account, to ballance all publick affairs and State-tranſactions between France and Spaine: and doth aſſert that if the State of great Britain doth not divide and weaken it ſelf by civill controverſies; no forraign State can moleſt it: but it will be able to uphold the perſecuted Proteſtants every where, and ballance the powers of Europe ſo between France and Spain that neither of them ſhall become too potent to ſway the affairs of Europe Monarchically for their own ends; which is the conſtant deſign of thoſe two oppoſite Nations.
His diſcourſe will be found by all that read it very rationall and clear; but he onelyonly reflects as a S ates-man upon the outward circumſtances of humane affairs, and the ways which Policie doth ſuggeſt to ballance power with power, and treaties by treaties, and correſponde cies by correſpondencies, concerning the tranſactions which are between States: and by theſe means he would have England to interpoſe in all publick affairs to make it ſelf conſiderable; wherein he ſtands up for the honour of England, and the advantage of the Proteſtant cauſe as a States man in matters belonging to his clement: But there are other matters of farr greater weight, concerning the intereſt of England in the Proteſtant cauſe, then any he doth mention or could ſpeak of in his time; which now ought to be taken into conſideration, not ſo much upon a State, as upon a true Chriſtian account.
For the Proteſtant Cauſe (if rightly underſtood) doth not rely upon ſuch State tranſactions as hee doth mention, but is bottomed upon matters of a higher nature; which few States men underſtand or regard; for they meaſure all things in the ballances of Power and Policy as they may tend to the ſettlement or unſettlement of their preſent greatneſs, or to the furtherance or hinderance of their future deſignes. But the Proteſtant Cauſe (if rightly underſtood) is not ſo much upheld and propagated by the ballance of power and policy as of Righteouſnes and of Truth manifeſted. By the ballance of Righteouſneſs the liberty of Chriſtians is maintained, that the Tyranny of power may not make them ſlaves to the luſts of men, and by the ballance of Truth (which is the Word of God) the underſtandings of Chriſtians are enlightned to diſcern pernicious errors to avoid them, and their wills directed to follow the ways of Godlineſs wherein their ſtrength doth lye, to advance the Kingdome of Chriſt in their generation.
For whereas all the States of the world do mind nothing elſe but their own greatneſs, in might, in honour, and in riches above their neighbours: The Proteſtant Cauſe doth aim at nothing properly but at the greatneſs of Jeſus Chriſt, that his Kingdome of Truth, of Righteouſeneſs, of Peace, and of joy in the Holy Ghoſt may bee exalted and ſet up in the hearts of all men, above all other advantages of might, of honour, or of riches: So that the Proteſtant Cauſe is not to be taken for a Combination of worldly powers in a league to oppoſe the Papiſts by outward might, but to be a conjunction of heavenly powers, that is of ſpirituall virtues and grace to be held forth in the way of impartiall Chriſtianity, whereby the Kingdome of Satan (which Popery doth uphold) will be at laſt made manifeſt and overthrown.
And to bring this to paſs, the means which God hath ordained to advance the Kingdome of Jeſus Chriſt, is to be ſet a work in a Goſpell way; which is none other but the Communion of Saints in ſpirituall concernments of Truth and Righteouſneſs. And this Holy Communion cannot be entertained without a Religious correſpondency to maintain and propagate the common Intereſt of the ſouls of men into Chriſt's Kingdome, which is the proper work of the Proteſtant Cauſe, and ought to be the main deſigne of thoſe who are obliged to proſecute the ſame.
And although all Proteſtants as ſuch are all equally obliged to mind unanimouſly the advancement of this Cauſe; yet I conceive that the godly party of theſe Nations, are more then any others ſtricktly and ſolemnly obliged thereunto: & that therefore they ought more then others to lay it ſeriouſly to heart, and to act therein more directly and profeſſedly, that is, to lead other Proteſtants in the way for the diſcharging of their duty.
The reaſons which move me to hold forth this aſſertion, I have thought expedient, at this juncture of time, wherein the great Aſſembly of the repreſentatives of the Nations is met, to lay open; that ſuch as are ſober minded, godly, wiſe, and conſcionable Chriſtians, who are intruſted with the great concernments of theſe Nations; may be put in mind of the engagement which before God and men doth lye upon them; And that there may be no miſtake of the true aim of this diſcourſe: the thing to be made out and inſiſted upon is this.
That all who are godly and faithfull in the three Nations are bound in Conſcience before God and towards all the Churches of Chriſt jointly to intend a Religious correſpondency with forrain Proteſtants, that the Kingdom of Chriſt in this our generation may be advanced by the communion of Saints, which we are more ſtrictly bound to proſecute towards other Churches, then other Churches are unto us. Nor is the State it ſelf, for ſo farr as it is a Chriſtian State, free from this engagement.
And to prove this I ſhall firſt conſider the engagement of the Godly, and then of the State as Chriſtian.
The engagement of the Godly will appear from three grounds.
Firſt, from the truth of the Chriſtian Religion whereof we make profeſſion.
Secondly, from the ſad condition wherein all the Churches are at preſent.
Thirdly, from the deſignes of the adverſaries and their attempts to ruine the Proteſtant Cauſe.