The Earnest Breathings of Foreign Protestants, Title page – Dedication
THE EARNEST BREATHINGS OF Forreign Proteſtants, DIVINES & Others: TO THE Miniſters and other able Chriſtians of theſe three NATIONS, FOR A COMPLEAT BODY OF Practicall Divinity,
And CASES, wherein the Grace of God hath more Eminently appeared amongſt us in theſe Iſlands, then in the reſt of the World beſides.
Which Work hath been long in the Heads and Hearts of many Worthy Men to be undertaken, as appeareth by a Letter written to Dr Ʋſher, who much approved the ſame.
And an Eſſay of a Modell of the ſaid Body of Divinity, by J. D. Highly approved by Dr George Horne, Profeſſor of the Univerſity of LEYDEN.
Together with an Expedient tendered for the entertainment of Strangers, who are Proteſtants, and by their means to advance the Goſpel unto their ſeveral Nations and Quarters.
Humbly tendered to his Highneſs, the next Parliament, and the good People of the Land.
London, Printed for T. Underhill, at the Anchor in Pauls Church-yard. 1658.
To the GODLY & LEARNED Profeſſors and Heads of Colledges In the two Famous UNIVERSITIES OF THE Common-wealth of England.
BEfore ever this Requeſt was made by Forrain Proteſtants to our Worthies in England, and when I was at the Ʋniverſity of Cambridge many years ago, the Neceſſity of ſuch a Work as is here implored, was made apparent unto me, and my wiſhes and earneſt endeavours were made awake towards it; but then there was no appearance that ever any ſuch thing could, or ſhould be brought to paſſe: yet ſince we have ſeen greater and more unexpected matters accompliſhed, both in reference to Religion, and to the Civil Government, I hope we are in a fair way to ſee yet greater things brought forth, and things of Peace and Comfort to all the Churches, which may prove to be the foundations of many Generations. For as the hope of the Hypocrite ſhall periſh, and be like unto the giving up of the ghost; ſo the deſire of the Righteouſ ſhall be fulfilled, and he ſhall not be aſhamed of his hopes, becauſe the Promiſe is, that he who hungers and thirſts for Righteouſneſſe, ſhall be ſatisfied.
Now the Work which is here ſued for by the Forrain Miniſters, is nothing elſe but the knowledge of that way of Righteouſneſſe which God hath prepared for his Saints to walk in, that they may have Communion with him in his Kingdom. Therefore I am very confident that i… will be ſo fully revealed and made known, that a man (as the Prophet ſaith) though a fool ſhall not erre therein. And becauſe the Lord hath given unto you vour the accompliſhment of their requeſt; I think my ſelf bound in Conſcience at this ſeaſonable time, to offer it to your pious thoughts, in the expreſſe words of their own Petition, and in ſome Conſiderations which I have annexed unto the matter thereof.
Therefore in the firſt place, you ſhall find here a Copy of their Petition in Latine, with the ſeveral ſubſcriptions, whereof the Original writings are in my hand, which I have put in Engliſh to ſatisfie Vulgar Capacities: Then in the ſecond place, you will find three conſiderable matters concerning this ſute repreſented unto you.
1. What is meant by a Body of Practical Divinity.
2. What the Reaſons are, for which it ought to be publiſhed.
3. How the Work may be effected, and imparted unto thoſe that have ſued for it at our hands.
Which having endeavoured to make you ſenſible of, as a Work moſt acceptable unto God, moſt ſutable to the Goſpel, moſt profitable unto the Godly, very uſefull unto all, very honourable unto theſe our Churches, and not difficult in it ſelf to be effected, if it receive but a little Countenance, I ſhall by the further proſecution thereof, as God ſhall give me addreſſes and opportunities, reſt ſatisfied in this (whatever the ſucceſſe and event may be) that I have not been wanting to the diſcharge of my duty, nor to the deſires of the faithfull, ſo farre as God hath enabled me to proceed towards the accompliſhing of the ſame. And thus commending to the grace of God thy ſenſe of this buſineſſe, I ſhall ſubſcribe my ſelf thy Servant therein
John Dury.