Works, Book 4 · Letter 78 – Letter 79
EPISTLE LXXVIII.
Ioan. Duraei Epistola ad Ios. Medum.
Cratiam & Pacem.
Clarissime & Doctissime Vir,
HVmanissimis tuis Literis & praeclaro illo, quod amicitiae mecum initae pignus esse voluisti,This Letter (after thanks to Mr. Med… for his Book upon the Apocalyps, as also for his well-wishing… to the Pacifick design among Protestants) represents Mr. Dury's ma…ner of Addre… and Treating with the Ba…avian Churches, and withall desires Mr. Mede's judgment thereof. Scripto, cujus priorem ante aliquot annos, posteriorem nunc primùm video partem, ità animum meum affecisti, ut sufficientes neque jam scribere, neque posthac habere gratias queam; quas quia me referre posse desper…, ideo debitorem me tibi agnosco. Sed ante omnia Candorem tuum exosculor, quo de tuo ergà mea qualiacun que in Pacis causa studia affectu certiorem reddis, déque cautela in colligendis Ecclesiasticae Pacis suffragiis adhibenda prudenter mones: Nihil praeter debitum officii erga Superiores respectum à quoquam exigendum; Nihil insciis cujusque Ordinis Primoribus promiscuè proponendum; Nihil privatis temerè in publico negotio, nihil extra ordinem aggrediendum. Me quod attinet, semper ità cogitavi: attamen nescio quibus adductus tandem fidiculis hoc in me onus susceperim; aliquid ab aliorum provocatione, aliquid à mea vel simplicitate vel temeritate fateor profectum est: certè in hoc mihi Conscientia praebet testimonium, nihil à me hactenus quaesitum quod vel meipsum vel mea, sed tantum quod publicum aliorum commodum… spectar…. Ab omnium partium legibus & dominio solutus, omnium me Servum exhibui quoad potui. Neque mihi aut ab eruditione aut rerum experientia singulari animus ad haec molimina satis instruct us vires & fiduciam sibi sumpsit; sed invict â potiùs quadam propensitate delatus est in hunc impetum, ut experire…ur quid in praejudiciis animorum inter partes tollendis praestari divinâ benedictione posset à privatae indusiria, & quid apud alios in tam sancta causa juvanda prompti…udinis fu…u…um esset. Siquid praeter spem, non tamen ultra votum accidit, Deo qui corda hominum regit, & abjectis saepe utitur ad gloriae suae manifestationem instrumentis, laus tribuenda est. De caetero quid imposterum mihi conandum incertus sum. Extra sphaeram han… privatae vocationis Theologicae me trahi non facilè patiar; atque ideo quoniam res jam paulatim vergit ad publicam tractationem, nihil aliud mihi propono quàm ut propensam hanc animorum inclinationem in tempus usque praestituti Conventûs fovere annitar, & occasionibus sim intentus quibus Belgarum (siquidem haberi facilè potest) publicus in hoc Concilio consensus obtineatur. Vidisti jam ex narratiuncula à Lomino Hartlibio missa quid apud Ecclesias Batavicas transactum sit. Tua singularis Prudentia & mihi rem gratam & suâ humanitate dignam fecerit, si non grave…ur suum de meis illis conatibus judicium exponere; An scilicet nimiâ parrhesiâ peccatum non fuerit; Quantum nobis liceat ab illis Ecclesiis exspectare; & Quâ ratione posthac, (quoniam de responso Synodico jam solicitus sum) sive non concedant, sive concedant meis postulatis, causa haec cum illis tractanda est. Certum mihi est per Dei gratiam nihil agere quod animorum irritationi ant justae suspicion… praebere possit occasionem: Pacis enim studia cum omni lenitate, humilitate & patientia pacificè sunt tractand…: neque privato mihi aut expedire aut licitum esse judic…, à quoquam effiagitare vel importuniùs extorquere velle quidquam quod non suâ sponte, Conscientiâ duce, Charitate comite, quilibet praestare paratus sit. Hâc lege tecum, Cla…ssime & Spectatissime Vir, familiaeriter agam, ut cuique nostrùm liceat suo jure uti, libere & loqui & tacere. Ità Divinae gratiae te tuáque studia animitus commendo. Vale, & favore …uo amplectere illum qui est
Pietati tuae addictissimus, Ioannes Duraeus. Westmonasterii, 9 Kal. April. 1635.
EPISTLE LXXIX.
Mr. Mede's Answer to Mr. Hartlib, excusing his not giving his judgment of Mr. Dury's manner of Address and Treaties with those of the Batavian Churches.
Mr. Hartlib,
I Received yours on Saturday, with the Copy enclosed, and Mr. Dury's courteous Letter. To which yet I doubt I shall make no answer, but use the liberty he there vouchsafes me; Vt …uique nostrûm liceat suo jureuti, liberè & loqui & tacere: For he desires me to give my judgment of his manner of Address and Treati… with those of the Batavian Churches; What may be expected from them, and What …se were best to be taken in case they grant, or deny. But what were this but for Phormio to teach Hannibal Stratagems of war? Ego verò ità usu rerum non valeo, ut hoc vel cogitare audeam, nedum scribere. For the place I live i…, I could perhaps tell something; but the condition of those Churches and their humors I know not farther than by hear-say, and much of that too I learned by the Papers you last sent me. And for my part, rebus sic stantibus, I cannot conceive any way better than what Mr. Dury there relates he took; whose wisdom and ability therein I am fitter to receive knowledge and information by, than to censure or give direction unto. And in particular methinks the deferring of them to the last, and not dealing with them till all other Churches had declared themselves, will, if any thing, bring them off, at least in some degree, to shew their concurrence. For in such a case Singularity cannot be without a blur; which perhaps they will consider, though their home contentions have made them, I believe resty enough. But, Lord! is there any hope of a Pacification, whilest each party studies to maintain their advantage against the other entire? A Ioyner cannot set two pieces of Timber together, without paring something from either. I pray remember me most kindly to Mr. Dury.
I send home herewith the Copy of his Epistle ad Batavos; which I shewed only to Dr. S. to whom I had communicated the former. Dr. W. and the rest are from home this Easter-time, and I thought not fit to keep it till their return.
And do the affairs in Germany, say you, begin to turn? Lord! what will the Scene be then that is now to come upon the Stage? It is an intricate business, so full of windings and turnings, that no man can yet guess what is the way that Providence aims at to accomplish its end.—
Thus in haste, with my affection and Prayers, I rest
Your assured Friend, Ioseph Mede. Christ's Coll. April 1. 1635.