The Earnest Breathings of Foreign Protestants, Letter 2
This Letter in Engliſh ſpeaks thus: To the chief Patrons and Rulers of the Churches of Great Brittaine and Ireland, the eminent ſervants of God, and moſt respected favourers of the diſtreſſed Church in Germany, be Grace and Peace from God the Father and our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, through the Communion of the Holy Ghoſt, Amen.
ALthough it is atteſted by the Holy Oracles, and the thing it ſelf doth ſpeak it that to the ſeverall Members of the Church, ſeverall gifts of Gods Spirit are beſtowed; yet it is evident, that the Father of Lights, the giver of every perfect gift, doth in the diſtribution of all his gifts, propoſe unto himſelf but one and the ſame end, which is the common edification and mutual uſefulneſs of all unto each other. For the Apoſtle ſaith, That the manifeſtation of the Spirit is given to every one to profit withall; and elſewhere we are commanded, As every one hath received the gift, even ſo to miniſter the ſame unto one another, as good Stewards of the manifold grace of God: For the Talent which every one of us have received of God, is committed to our truſt, that we being made diſtributers thereof, ſhould not hide it in the ground, as that unprofitable ſervant did, but employ it to the advantage of our Lord, that with ſuch ſervants as are faithfull unto him we may gain more Talents, both to our Maſters uſe, and to our ſelves.
Theſe things, Illuſtrious and Renowned Gentlemen, Moſt Reverend and Reverenced Fathers and Brethren, are alledged, to the end that we may acquaint you with our wiſhes and deſires, that ſeeing we are certainly informed, that in the Churches of Great Brittain, the Doctrine of Practicall Divinity, by the publique Writings of many godly wiſe Miniſters of your Churches, is brought to a great perfection, and that it is excellently fitted for the uſe of the Common people, but yet kept up as an hidden Treaſure from the eyes of Forrein Nations, within the bounds of your own language alone; and that a very great benefit would accrue unto all Chriſtian Churches, and chiefly to thoſe that profeſſe the purity of the Goſpel, if ſo be thoſe things which are peculiar unto you were publiſhed, ſo as by them they might alſo be read and underſtood: Seeing (we ſay) theſe things are ſo, our purpoſe is to acquaint your Honours and Worſhips with our wiſhes and deſires; and by the bond of holy Communion in Chriſt, and with that confidence of ſpeech which our brotherly freedom doth ſuggeſt, to intreat you (you chiefly who being Rulers, Protectors and Favourers of the Churches, and are truly deſirous to edifie the publique) that ye would not ſuffer ſo precious a Talent to be hid and concealed any longer from the hands and eyes of Forreiners; but that ye would, according to the pious zeal and affection of fervent Charity which ye have toward your Brother-Churches, and the bountifull care which ye have for the Glory of God in the propagation of the Goſpel, take ſome convenient courſe, by which the Marrow of theſe Authors, which in that kind are exſtant amongſt you, and are of chief Note, may be gathered out of all into one Volume, either of Common places, or of a body of Practicall Divinity, which may be publiſhed and made uſe of by all in a tongue known and common to the learned.
We have heard that ſome few things have been tranſlated into the low Dutch language, which are of great uſe unto thoſe Churches, and their Schollars of Divinity.
Of late alſo there is a little Book of the Practiſe of Piety, tranſlated out of Engliſh into our Germane tongue, which hath taken ſo much with many godly ſouls, that we find thereby wrought in them a very great growth of that Religious diſpoſition, which doth conſiſt in a pure and modeſt Profeſſion of heavenly truth; for which cauſe we do hope, that if our wiſhes may obtain by your means the favour which is deſired, that ſome of your Men (to whom God ſeemeth mercifully to have given in the midſt of theſe troubles, both quietneſſe and means to conferre theſe and ſuch like benefits unto his Church) will eaſily be found, who without difficulty will at your perſwaſion, beſtow their pains and their Talents, to Collect, to Tranſlate, to Digeſt, and to publiſh the chief practical Writings and Meditations of your Authors. Whence we are confident this will come to paſſe, that the Kingdom of God will receive a notable inlargement, if a compleat Body of ſuch Doctrine out of your Writers were put forth; wherein, as well the young Schollars of Divinity for their Studies, as many Paſtors of the Churches for their Sermons, might find matter far more uſefull unto edification, then that is, which now adaies is met withall in Controverſal Writings. So that by this means, the minds of many men may be drawn back from the endeavours of ſtrife, unto the affections of unfained Charity; whence afterward this will follow, that unto God in the firſt place, Glory and thankſgiving will redound; and then unto the Profeſſors of the Goſpel, with the care of holineſſe and piety, peace and concord, to the Churches, publique Edification; to the ſimple ſort, pious learning; to the godly and afflicted, ſound ſpirituall comfort; to the erring, and ſuch as go aſtray, ſaving Converſion; to ſuch as are ſecure and carnall, a lively wakening of their Conſcience; to the Hypocrites and ſtubborn ſinners, a clear diſcovery of their perverſneſs; and to all the Generations to come, a greater light of truth will be advanced: and laſtly, unto thoſe that ſhall beſtow their Talent towards this endeavour for the advancement of Gods Kingdom, when he ſhall call us to an account of the Talent which we have received from him, that glorious and bleſſed voyce ſhall then come from the Lord unto them, Well done thou good and faithfull ſervant, thou haſt been faithfull in a few things, I will make thee Ruler over many things; enter into the joy of thy Lord: which joy we wiſh from our heart, together with all temporal happineſs to all thoſe to whom our requeſt ſhall be made known, and with whom it ſhall find acceptance.
Farewell in the Lord excellent Gentlemen, whom with all reſpect we are bound to worſhip.
Given at Hanaw 24. Febr. Anno 1633. By
John Daniel Wildius, Miniſter of Gods Word, and Inſpector of the Churches of Hanaw.
Theodorus Leurelius, Preacher of the Church of Hanaw.
Conradus Ammonius, Preacher to the Court of the ſame place.
Paulus Toſſanus, Doctor in Divinity, & an Aſſeſſor of the Eccleſiaſtical Senate in the lower Electoral Palatinat.
Clemens Boeſius, Paſtor of the French Church in New Hanaw.
Iſaacus Boots, Paſtor of the Flanders Church, which is gathered unto Chriſt in Hanaw.
Matthew Rowyer, Paſtor of the French Church at New Hanaw.
M. Philippus Pareus, Son to David, Rector and Profeſſor of the famous Colledge of Hanaw.
At Herborne in March, and elſewhere in April, in the ſame year 1633. the ſame ſute was renewed by theſe:
Petrus Streithagen, Preacher to the Court of the moſt Illuſtrious King of Bohemia of bleſſed Memory.
John Moriaen, formerly Preacher of Gods Word amongſt thoſe of Collen. I did underwrite this at Francofurt, 23 April, Anno 1633.
Philip Suabelius, of Hoing, in the County of Solms, Preacher to his Native Church.
John Conradus Hopiſius, Miniſter of the Word of God in the County of Hanaw in Mercabel an exiled Palatin.
I Henry Mecrobottius, for the preſent time Paſtor of Scheſheim Ladenburg in the Electoral Palatinat, am willing to confirm alſo with my Subſcription, this moſt profitable intention and common wiſh of our Brethren of Germany.
John Irlin, Doctor of Divinity, Rector and Profeſſor of the School of Herbon, Paſtor of the Church of the ſame place, and Inſpector of the neighbouring Churches of Naſſaw.
Mr Caſparus Stippius Arch-Deacon of the Church of Siegen, who ſubſcribed in his own name, and in the name of the reſt of his Brethren, in the County of Siegen in Naſſaw.
John Arcularius, Paſtor of the Church of Beilſtein, who ſubſcribed in his own name, and in the name of the reſt of his Brethren in the Counties of Beilſtein & Ozen in Naſſaw.
Thomas Dern. Paſtor of Altenkirch, in the name of the Churches of the County of Sainen.
THis Letter doth ſufficiently ſpeak for it ſelf; and the perſons who did offer it, were in thoſe parts none of the leaſt conſiderable Proteſtants, nor is their number ſmall, if you take notice of the Churches in whoſe name ſome have ſubſcribed: and although the time ſince it was offered, may ſeem ſomewhat long yet becauſe that which hitherto could be done to obtain their deſire, hath not been neglected, though by ſeveral invincible impediments obſtructed, becauſe the expectation of obtaining it, is not vaniſhed, but at this time raiſed: and becauſe ſuch a ſuit as this can never be out of date till it be fulfilled; nay although the firſt Petitioners ſhould all be dead, it ought not the leſſe conſcienably to be regarded by thoſe to whom it is made, becauſe it doth not at all concern any temporal, or ſo much the particular convenience of thoſe that make it, as the ſpiritual edification, and general benefit of all the Churches of God, and of the ages to come in the Goſpel. I ſay, becauſe of all theſe conſiderations, and more that might be added, therefore I am willing to ſecond their requeſt, as I am many waies bound to do; and to that effect, I ſhall firſt ſhew my ſenſe of the Body of Divinity, which I conceive will ſatisfie their demand; and then the Reaſons why it ought to be, and manner how it may be made up.