and will onely represent my earnest wishes and humble requests unto you as they are briefly set downe in the Petition hereunto annexed and as now by this writ this shall bee more particularly explained and declared for the opening of my meaning therein Be pleased then to consider that my constant suit to all Protestants is that they would live in the Communion of Saints one towards another for seeing they all beleeve that there is a Communion of Saints and that every one in particular thinketh himselfe interessed therein as being sanctified by one and the same Spirit therefore I suppose that none may or will be unwilling chiefly when he is called upon to communicate the fruits of his spirituall talents towards the building up of truth and of righteousnesse in his fellow-saints Now I take the ground of holy Communion which ought to be made manifest amongst Protestants to be this First That they joyntly attained unto the acknowledgment of the same saving faith as it is revealed in the forme of sound words and Doctrine which the holy Scriptures teach renouncing thereby all Popish all Socinian and other whatsoever heresies and errours which overthrow the ground of our salvation Secondly That they have submitted themselves unto the same rule of life and obedience in all actions towards God and man to be joyntly directed therein by the will of God revealed in the same holy Scriptures renouncing consequently thereby all Popish idolatry all humane traditions and all superstitious constitutions as no wayes binding in respect of conscience or to bee imposed as observable in the worship of God Seeing then all Protestants appeal only unto the word of God and reject all doctrines practices as untrue unwarrantable which have no ground in the same therefore I conceive them to be really brethren in Christ And although the more weak and lesse knowing party as commonly it falleth out is unwilling to acknowledge the other for a Brother yet neverthelesse because there is a commandement of God bidding us that are strong to beare with the infirmities of the weak and forbidding us to please our selves and injoyning both Rom. 15. 1. 1bid v. 7. them and us to receive one another as Christ received us unto the glory of God Therefore I find that wee are bound to labour to gaine our erring brethren with all meeknesse alluring and drawing them on towards more knowledge towards moderation and towards godlinesse and brotherly love To which effect we should indeavour to rectifie in them those mistakes for which they shew their spirits to be averse from us and to give them also occasion to rectifie in us those sinister thoughts for which we conceive our spirits justly alienated from them For indeed it is for the most part almost nothing but mistakes on both sides and mis-interpretations of each others meanings and actions which make the division These mistakes and mis-interpretations therefore should be taken out of the way on both sides which may bee done if that wherein both Churches fully doe agree betwixt themselves and disagree from Papists were brought into a summe and meanes used to cause that summe to be acknowledged by common consent as a testimony of their unity in the faith and practice of true Christianity Now to make such a summe a Symboll of their agreement in faith and obedience as it is not difficult to be done so it may be effectuall to rectifie their mistakes and bind up their hearts in brotherly love if the publick Confessions of all the Churches were compared together in things necessary and usefull for unity and mutuall edification whereof the consent being gathered and approved by us then afterward it might be insinuated with countenance of authority unto forraigne Protestant States to make them willing to propose the same unto their Ministery to move them to approve of it in like manner as of a testimony of a spirituall unitie This I say is no hard matter to bee done and yet would bee a sufficient means to unite all our spirits together take away the hurtfull scandall of our divisions This being done needlesse disputes and curious Schoole questions which have bred much strife might in the second place bee cast out from the Pulpits and other profitable though high and sublime mysteries of godlinesse might be regulated by common consent to oblige ordinary Preachers to handle the same without curiosity prudently and plainly as may be answerable unto vulgar capacities for popular edification Thus it is conceived that controversies might be made lesse in number and in weight Which being done a course could be setled to entertaine correspondencie in spirituall things belonging unto the advancement of the kingdom of God towards those that either know or as yet know not his name To which effect these things should be taken into consideration First How and by what means answerably to the will of God scandals heresies and breaches of brotherly love and unity should be prevented betwixt the Churches in time to come Secondly How the increase of knowledge which daily is enlarged in some places this way and in other places that way according to the different gifts of Gods Spirit diversly bestowed and alwaies profitable in severall persons may become profitable in common to all and be communicated without grudging or envie or danger of disturbance to any arising from preposterous contradictions and disputations And to bring this to passe thoughts have beene long agoe entertained and some indeavours used to procure the meanes of true Christian learning and holy knowledge The first is a full body of practicall Divinity which in stead of the ordinary Philosophicall-jangling-School-Divinity might bee proposed to all those that seeke the truth which is after godlinesse and especially to the young Schollers of Theologie in the Universities The second is a substantiall explication of the literall and materiall sense of the Text of the holy Bible to be a help unto all both learned and unlearned in matters of doubt which ought to bee decided by the word of God The third thing belonging to the advancement of Gods Kingdome which may and ought to bee consulted upon is how to propagate the truth and light revealed unto Protestants towards others that such as are yet in darknesse and deadly ignorance may be drawne unto the light of life which shineth in the Gospel These are the objects of my sollicitation and endeavours amongst Protestants whereunto not only many have given their consent and decalred a ready minde for concurrence but some also have really and effectually put to their hand to labour in the work with us others are more and more comming on and no doubt by your example most of them will be raised and stirred up from that accustomed drowsinesse and slacknesse in resolution wherewith our flesh and bloud is clogged when wee intend spirituall matters But hee that is able to waken the dead and raise them up out of their graves and who will once bring us
united together with Christ in glory is able also to quicken mens spirits towards these duties and make them concurre in one purpose to understand aright the sincerity of one anothers intentions Now then If I may use freedome of speech through Christ to require of you that which I conceive you ought to doe and beseech you to settle a resolution in your Assembly that henceforth you will lay to heart such publick thoughts that as in other things you have abundantly approved your zeal towards the truth so in these duties of love and publick edification you may goe before others and bee found laudable Patrons to the communion of Saints Which may be brought to passe if you will make an Act for the entertainment of correspondency with forraign Churches about this matter and in consequence of that Act deferre Authority to some fit persons of your Body who may in your name concurre to correspond and entertaine with others these thoughts of spirituall and common edification To such then as you shall appoint to heed this work I will promise to make mine addresse and give you by them true information of that which is or shall be done herein by others hereafter And from them reciprocally I desire to receive the advice and counsell which you shall thinke fit to impart towards the worke that it may in due time be brought to a full period through the assistance of Gods Spirit in the supply of your joynt prayers and co-operation And because in this spirituall combate our prayers are our chiefe strength and weapons therefore my further request is That you would recommend the work unto the prayers and supplications of your Congregations that it may be mentioned before God to this effect namely that his saving truth revealed to the Protestant Churches may bee not onely freed from all scandals of needlesse disputes and dangerous divisions amongst themselves but also have a free passage towards others and be enlarged towards all the ends of the world through the unity of their spirits in the bond of peace and their godly zeal to entertain holy Communion one with another for the advancement of the kingdome of Jesus Christ our Saviour What shal Papists fast pray and erect societies and spend great revenues to breed and send forth Emissaries to undermine the truth and propagate their superstirions and idolatries and shall wee no nothing for the advancement and propagation of the true faith and knowledge of Christ Jesus Shall they be more cunning and diligent to overthrow and divide our Churches by worldly wiles of destruction then wee are circumspect and zealous to maintaine our selves and all Gods children so farre as in us lyeth in unity by spirituall rules of mutuall edification Oh let never this fault bee any more found in any of us It may suffice that hitherto the neglect of our duty in this and other things hath brought us to this extremity whereunto you see Ecclesiasticall matters are reduced amongst Protestants If therefore there be any bowels and compassion if you intend to entertaine any fellowship of the Spirit and if you can supply any comfort of love derived to you from our head Jesus Christ fulfill the joy of peaceable minded Christians and in these things bee like minded with us Enlarge your selves as we doe and open your hearts by some written Declaration fit to bee imparted unto forreigners to beare witnesse that you are willing and ready to seek and entertaine peace with all true Professors of Christianity And if withall you shall thinke fit to give any advice unto me a mean instrument of this worke or to suggest some profitable counsell concerning the heads of consultation here proposed unto you I am a most humble suiter unto you that you would either insert the same into your Declaration or communicate it apart unto me For by the communication of your spirituall talents in this kinde you will cause many thanksgivings and praises to bee offered up by many unto God on your behalfe and in particular by my selfe who in the midst of many outward discouragements and inward failings am bound to wrastle sometimes with my selfe and sometimes with others against the spirit of envie and strife which dwelleth in our flesh for the unblameable waies of peace and truth which are in Jesus Christ To his grace I commend you and shall not cease to pray that in all your labours for the Gospel you may finde the infallible direction of his holy Spirit going along with you till you see the blessed effects of his good will and direction over you with joy unspeakable and comfort unto your soules through the apprehension of the glory of our God which I wish may shine now and for ever in and over every one of you severally and your whole society jointly of which I shall alwaies study to be found The most faithfull and affectionate servant in Christ Jesus JOHN DURY
A MEMORIALL CONCERNING PEACE ECCLESIASTICALL AMONGST PROTESTANTS By JOHN DURY LONDON Printed for W. Hope at the signe of the Unicorne in Cornehill Anno 1641. TO THE KINGS MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY OR TO His Majesties COMMISSIONER And To His Reverend and loving Brethren in Christ the PASTORS and ELDERS of the Kirk of Scotland met together at their generall Assembly appointed to be held at Saint Andrewes in July Anno 1641. The humble and earnest suit of JOHN DURY Minister of the Gospel of God Reverently and humbly sheweth THat seeing for the space of these ten yeers by-past your Petitioner as without all prejudice and partialitie against any Protestant Church or person so with all favourable permission good liking approbation and encouragements from chief men of all sides whom in a Civill or Ecclesiasticall way it doth concerne hath solicited the work of reconcilement amongst Protestants wherein he is gone so farre as in a private Theologicall way of Treaty may bee proceeded with forraign Churches to prepare their mindes unto further resolutions in due time And now finding by Gods good Providence an opportunity of publick meetings both here in England where his solicitation is laid to heart and also in his native Countrey and Church where hopefully his purpose may be in like manner promoted by publick approbation and counsell of the godly wise and learned Ministery Therefore he thinketh it a part of his duty to deferre his humble respect unto your Reverend Assembly intreating for the love of the Spirit and by the Communion of Saints that in the feare of God so good an endeavour though meanly hitherto countenanced may not bee slighted but that the scope and prosecution thereof may be taken up without prejudice according to the true meaning thereof which is laid open in the printed English Relation and Latine Information herewith offered unto you And that the writ given to M. Alex. Henderson containing a draught of the particular means and manner of proceeding wherein the way of your sued for concurrence is specified may be taken seriously to heart and some Declaration of Christian advice and answer thereupon returned which may conduce and help to advance the glory of God through the unblameable and peaceable profession of the Gospel of Jesus Christ amongst Protestants And I your Petitioner as in duty bound shall pray daily for your eternall and temporall felicity and his Majesties long life in a peaceable and prosperous Government over you and all his Kingdomes A MEMORIALL Concerning PEACE ECCLESIASTICALL amongst Protestants Which JOHN DURY offereth to Master ALEXANDER HENDERSON to bee sent or presented unto the Generall Assembly of the Church of Scotland Worthy Sir and loving Brother in Jesus Christ MY earnest desire is that this well meant and as I conceive very warrantable Negotiation of mine may not bee mistaken by any and chiefely by you in Scotland to whom I owe reverence in the Church of God For As I was not drawne to this worke by any man upon any private considerations so I have never served any mans end nor sought my selfe in it but onely God and the manifestation of his Truth This he that searcheth the hearts of all men knoweth to have beene and still to bee mine onely true and constant aime Nor doe I presume to interpose and cast my selfe up as a Judge and Arbitrator of the differences between Churches but being earnestly in love with truth and peace and having been stirred up by men that seek the truth in holinesse and peaceable affections to endeavour the advancement of the one and the other I have presented hitherto my selfe unto God and to all his servants without partiality as an humble solicitor of the counsels of Peace for the publick good of Protestant Churches that therein the truth of his Gospel may bee conferred and made knowne unto the world And this I finde I am warranted to doe not onely by the necessity of the times and the dangers whereunto the Professors of the Gospel are brought through the prevarication and implacable animosity of some of their Leaders and controversall Writers but also by the expresse Commandements of God which presse mee first to seeke peace with all men Rom. 12. 18. Heb. 12. 14. Heb. 10. 24. so farre as in mee lyeth if possibly it may bee had And secondly to provoke others whom this dutie in like manner doth concerne unto the same affection of love and of good workes Let mee then bee looked upon as a publicke solicitor of peaceable counsels and thoughts and as a provoker of godly men unto the affections of charitable duties for this is the summe of that which I intend Therefore To performe this task more effectually towards every one I have taken notice of that part of the duty wherein wee are distinctly commanded to contemplate and attentively to consider one another for this is the force of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the end that wee should sharpen and stirre up one another for thus much the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implyeth towards the perfection of our holy calling and profession And therefore give mee leave in obedience to this Commandement chiefly at this time to consider you of my Nation as an object fit to be provoked to all the duties which God hath commanded in his Gospel for the glory of his name Give me leave I say to beleeve that you desire to bee provoked that you will effectually be stirred up hereunto as unto a necessary duty although by such a weake and contemptible instrument as I am it is thus meanly proposed unto you For I hope you will doe it so much the rather and the readier because it is not backed with Authoritie that it may appear you are perswaded and moved by the grace and Spirit of God and not by any humane and outward consideration towards that which is required of you in your heavenly calling Bee pleased then to consider not who it is that maketh the proposition but what it is that is proposed and in whose name and to what end and effect these endeavours were and are undertaken The end you have already heard the name in which the proposall is made is the name of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ who is called the great God and the Prince of peace If therefore you professe your selves to be his faithfull subjects in the Kingdome and Ministers in the Gospel of Peace I may call upon you by your allegeance that you decline not the counsels of peace because hee hath commanded saying Seek peace and Psal 34. 14. follow after it And as for the thing required at your hands to be done at this time it is thus to be conceived That although sometimes I am enabled to use great boldnesse in a private way yet being now to make my addresse unto a whole Church I have reason to feare lest I seeme to abuse my Liberty which is in Christ Therefore I am farre from prescribing any thing