The Reformed Spiritual Husbandman, Memorandum
A Humble Memorandum concerning a Correspondencie with Forreigne Protestants.
ALthough the wayes of Correspondency have hitherto been in use onelyonly for worldly concernments amongst other States; yet we conceive that the conscionable Engagements of this State towards God, & the Declarations which are made towards the world oblige it to make use thereof for Spirituall concernments also. For by the Remonstrance of the State of the Kingdome at first, and afterward by the severall Protestations, Oathes, and Declarations, which have been taken and made in order to our own safety, and for the defence of the truth of the Gospel by the Covenant of free-grace, in opposition to all humane Tyrannical and Antichristian practises: we are expresly obliged more then any other Nation in the world, unto these duties. First, and mainly, to advance Gods glory, and enlarge the Kingdome of Jesus Christ. Secondly, and in order to this. 1 To procure the safety, the prosperity and the good of the Protestant profession, and of all Gods people. 2 To help to free them from the power of Antichristianity or the danger thereof. 3 To endevour the peace of Christian Kingdoms and Common-wealths. Thirdly, to effect all this we are engaged by the same Remonstrance, Oaths and Declarations to use these Meanes. 1 To seek to unite forreign Churches with us in the same Cause. 2 To bring this to passe by all offices of friendship towards them. 3 To strengthen our selves with them by a mutuall concurrence to the same common ende. 4 To encourage them to joyn with us in some Association to the Glory of God, and the enlargement of Christs Kingdom. These Engagements are publique and solemne obligations upon us to maintain some religious Correspondency towards them; for as it is not possible to discharge these Duties without some Agencie; so the Correspondency and Agency which will reach these ends, must needs be suitable unto the nature thereof which is spirituall. For the enlargement of Christs Kingdom, which is the Gospel in the New Covenant by the maintenance of the true Protestant Cause and profession, with the peace of Christians in opposition to Antichristianity; are spirituall effects which must proceed from causes of the same kinde, that is, of a religious and learned nature. If then this State should conscionably discharge that whereunto it is so highly and expresly engaged; it is bound to set on foot not onelyonly a Civill, but it ought to authorize also and manage some Spiritual Correspondencie with forreign Protestants. The Civill Agency may be employed as the State shall see cause in reference to outward occasions.
But the Spiritual Agencie should suffer no delay, because the successe of our affairs which hath been prayed for, and is now by Gods blessing obteined, doth require it of us, and our Engagement thereunto is in the nature of a Vow, of which the command is, When thou hast vowed a vow, thou shalt not slack to pay it, because the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee, and it would be sin unto thee, Deut. 23 21.
The matters about which this Correspondency ought to be conversant in due time, are all things belonging to the Communion of Saints, which in a Religious and Learned way; by mutuall communications upon Common Principles of Truth revealed in the Word of God, may tend to the advancement of Godlinesse, to the clearing of necessary Truths, to the maintaining of Unity and Peace amongst Brethren, to the composing of needlesse and distracting Differences and Controversies, to the beating down of all Impiety, of all Superstition, of all fundamentall Errours and Disorderlinesse; and to the advancement of all Humane profitable Learning. But more especially the matters about which this Correspondency should instantly be entertained; are the things wherein the godly amonst them heretofore have offered themselves to concurre with us, desiring us to joyn with them therein, and go before them; and where n they have made it their particular suit unto us, to be helpfull unto them. The things wherein they have offered themselves to concurre with us, desiring us to joyn & go before them, are the Counsels of peace Ecclesiasticall, and Unity to be ripened and prosecuted amonst all Protestaants, that the prejudices and breaches which hinder the progresse of the Gospel, and weaken al our hands against the common Enemies may be be healed and taken out of the way, and a just latitude of mutuall Forbearance in harmlesse differences may be setled by Common Consent.
The things wherein they have made it their particular suit unto us to be helpfull unto them, are matters of Practicall Divinity, wherewith God hath blessed us above the rest of the Churches which should be gathered out of our English Writers, and being translated and compiled into a Body, and imparted unto them, they would make use thereof, to initiate their young Schollers in Divinity with sound positive Doctrines of saving Truth, and thereby take them off from that Polemicall and Controversall course of study, which is now in use, and doth habituate them to a way of strife, and bitternesse of spirit, which cleaveth to them all their life-time afterward.
These two matters of Correspondency for the enlargement of Christs Kingdome amongst Protestants might be without delay prosecuted, if the designe of gratifying the desire of forreign Churches therein were approved, and owned as a thing expedient for the good of the Protestant profession, and if provision were made for some Agents to be set apart to negotiate effectually the same upon the grounds already laid.
But this negotiation should be made a beginning onelyonly of the work of Correspondency, because it may be agitated in the nature of some private Agency, allowed and maintained by Authority: but if the Honourable House would do a Work indeed worthy of the Parliament of England, a Work answerable to this their great Engagement; and a Work which may not onelyonly make the reproaches which have been cast upon us, that we not onelyonly disregard all forreign Protestants, but all matters of Religion; to be found false, and make our Worthies whom God hath honoured with so great and manifest tokens of his love in the sight of all the world, highly respected by all the Protestants of this Age, and deservedly renowned unto after-ages, We would offer humbly this Motion to them.
That the Foundation of Chelsy-Colledge may be confirmed, raised, and inlarged for the Design of a Publick Centre of good Intelligence, and Correspondency with forreign Protestant Churches in the Cause of Religion and Learning.
And to this effect we would suggest these following particulars.
1. THat the Patent for the Foundation of Chelsy-Colledge should be reviewed and confirmed by the Authority of this Parliament, and an Addition made unto it of Means to maintain more Fellowes not onelyonly to oppose Popery (for which at first it was founded) but also to maintain an Evangelicall Intelligence and Brotherly Correspondency with forreign Divines, that by a mutuall concurrence between them and us, the Means and helps to propagate true godlinesse and sound learning every where may be set on foot, and advanced.
2 That to this end besides the full number of Natives already determined, or so many more as the Parlament shal think fit, there should be of every severall Nation of different Language, where the Protestant Religion is professed, one to be a Fellow of the Society, who should be obliged to correspond with those of his own Native Churches for the Ends aforesaid.
3 That it shall be free for all such Learned men in the Churches and Universities of this Common-wealth, who shall be desirous to be informed of the state and constitutions of Forreigne Churches, or of the most remarkable excellencies, endowments and graces which God hath be bestowed upon them for the enlargement of his Kingdome; or of the Men of singular note and parts which arraised up from time to time amongst them, to repair to th Colledge, and receive an account thereof, which the Fellows of the Society shall be obliged freely to impart unto them.
4 That the Election of every Forreign Fellow should be of such a one whom the Chief Church of his own Nation should either recommend to be chosen by the Fellowship, or being nominated approve for a fit Correspondent with them in matters of Religion and Learning.
5 That the Forreigne Fellows should be chosen every one of them, Men of Universall Abilities, but the Native Fellows should be chosen, some of Universall, some of particular and singular Eminencies.
6 That they should be obliged in their Studies and Correspondencies to elaborate severall tasks, which they shall with previous consultations which the rest of their Fellows freely undertake and make known unto others, that helps may be gathered in unto them, for the perfecting of their Undertakings.
FINIS.
End of the text · John Dury, The Reformed Spiritual Husbandman (1652)