A Memorial Concerning Peace Ecclesiastical Amongst Protestants, Title page – Dedication
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 bypaſt, 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.