The Work of Peace Ecclesiastical, Part 1
Concerning the firſt.
THe ſpirituall work of Eccleſiaſticall reconciliationAre deſcribed, is a negotiation whereby the ſpirits of ſpiritual perſons are wrought upon by ſpirituall means, tending to induce them to peaceable diſpoſitions toward thoſe with whom they are at variance for matters of Religion.
The aim of a civill Confederation, I ſuppoſe to be a purpoſe of joyning the Proteſtant States together in counſels and actions of peace and war, tending to their mutuall preſervation. That theſe twoAnd their concurrence ſuppoſed. buſineſſes may concurre as well as Religion and civill prudence are able to ſtand together, is out of all doubt: but what the firſt may contribute unto the laſt, and how the concurrence muſt be framed, are two things which are now to be thought upon. And to this it is needleſſe to reckon up all the benefits which ſpirituall concord bringeth unto the Church of God, and all that happineſſe which redoundeth from the bleſſed and peaceable eſtate of the Church to the Common-wealth, of which a volume might be written: But it will ſuffice at this time to intimate, that whatſoever the ſoul of a man is able to contribute unto his body, the ſame in a proportionable way may be contributed by the work of ſpirituall reconciliation of ſouls unto the civill Confederation of the bodies of Proteſtant States. And to ſhew this briefly, we will make the compariſon onelyonly in two things, which all Naturaliſts confeſſe to be effects of the ſouls of men towards their bodies. Namely, Firſt, that the ſoul frameth the body and maketh it up for it ſelf, ſo that it receiveth no true naturall life and being without the ſoul. Secondly, That when the body is framed, then the ſame ſoul ſtill ſupporteth the being thereof, ſo that without the continuance of the ſoul therewith it is neither permanent in life nor in ſubſtance. Both theſe effects muſt flow from the ſouls of Clergie men, by the work of ſpirituall reconcilement unto the aim of a civill confederation, as really and truly in the body of the Proteſtant State, as they do in this outward world from living ſouls unto their naturall bodies. For neither can a civill confederation be truly framed amongſt Proteſtants, nor when it is framed can it be faithfully maintained, except the foundation thereof be layd in the minds of the Clergy. TheWhich is proved ground of this poſition is clear from reaſon backed with experience, which hath taught us for the ſpace of theſe hundred years by-paſt, that except the ſchiſme Eccleſiaſticall and cauſes thereof be taken out of the way, it will not be poſſible either to make a true and conſtant league, or to confirm it when it is made. For it is evident that the leagues of Proteſtants,By Experience, which by reaſon of neceſſitie and imminent dangers were hitherto made up, have been continually broken to pieces by reaſon of their differences in Religion, which bred jealouſies, from whence their counſels were diſtracted, and their ſpirits alienated one from another. The cauſes of theſe jealouſiesAnd by Reaſon. come partly from the very nature and propertie of all rents and controverſies about ſpirituall matters, which command ſo powerfully over the ſoul, that all other affections muſt ſtoop thereunto; partly from the hot and unreaſonable diſpoſition of moſt Lutheran Divines, who by clamours and partiall practices ceaſe not either to prevent all manner of conjunction, in maintaining that it is not lawfull to confederate with Hereticks, or elſe to break it off, and weaken the effect of it when it is brought to paſſe, by reaſon of the ſame poſition. For this poſition ſtiffly maintained maketh the breach to become a matter of conſcience: For when the one ſide (as the Lutherans do) ceaſeth not to charge the other with the crime of hereſie, and the other ſide (as the Reformed do) uſeth no ſufficient means to take away this imputation, it muſt needs follow that ſuch Rulers of State as give credit to their Clergy, and are religiouſly ſet, muſt be poſſeſſed with an averſeneſſe from thoſe whom they imagine to be guilty of ſo great a crime. From hence then it is manifeſt how neceſſary this work of ſpirituall reconciliation is unto the Proteſtant cauſe: For if the preſervation both of Church and State ought to be a matter of neceſſitie, and if this preſervation cannot be hoped for without a civill league, or a civill league either well framed and faithfully kept afoot except ſuch imputations as theſe be taken out of the way, it followeth that the one can have no being without the other. Neither can indeed a bleſſing from heaven be expected upon the civill league without the other reconcilement: becauſe it is juſt before God to divide the hearts and counſels of thoſe which are not confederates together in him by his truth, chiefly then, when for his truths ſake they are ſet upon, and know themſelves bound in conſcience to preferre the care of Religion to all other intentions. From whence we ſee that the benefit which may redound from the bond of Eccleſiaſticall peace towards the civill league is the greateſt that can be thought on to conſerve State and Religion: So that to aim at a temporall league without the ſpirituall reconcilement of affections in a religious way, is to undertake a work which God will never bleſſe, and which will betray the cauſe for which it is undertaken. Thus then I conclude, That it will be a matter of abſolute neceſſitie to make theſe endeavours to concurre together.