The Hartlib Papers

Much honoured Sir

By reason of the severall tokens of love, which I have received from your hands, I must needs acknowledge myself oblieged unto you in a great measure, as also to my everhonoured Friend mr Durie; and I am sorry that I have not the opportunitie to manifest my thankfulnesse &readinesse to serve you. Hath I had any matter which might have conduced to the promoting of the common good of learning or worthy to be communicated unto you, I should not have ben so long silent. But the very truth is, learning in our parts by the generallity of the people is despeised, &ther is very littel incourragement for any godly[written over another word] learned man, to lieve amongst such inhumane unlearned creaturs. Whereas[altered] you have one man that brings up his child to be a schollar, you have many hundreds that regard not whether their children learne any thing or nothing, unlesse they might be schure that their children when they come from the Universitie might be invested in to good fat livings, without respect to any other qualifications &induments For their principle for the most part is, that though a man be never so ungratious &ungodly, yet if he is brought up in Oxeford, they think that it belongs to him &such like treadsmen, &to none but them, to preach the gospel &to give the true interpretation of the holy scripture, never considering, that although humane learning &especially universitie learning is good, desirable &commendable, that notwithstanding it doeth not amount unto this, as to make a man to understand the mind of Iesus Christ, or <to> unfold the mysteries of the gospel; ther is some thing alse required before men are fit to preach, beseits humane learning, yet when humane learning comes to meet with the learning &life which is from above &is like God, then I must needs say, that such schollars are the most fittest men to be intrusted with the gospel, before any others. but when grace is wanting I conceive that a godly gifted man broght up in the scripture &<having> experienced the power of godlienesse in his soul, is greatly to be preferred, before those uncleane spirits which the Lord doeth promise to cast out of the Land, of which sort ther are many hundreds in poore Wales obstructing the worck of the Lord daily, deceiving themselves &others. But blessed be our God who through his providence hath brought about such a way of settling ministers, which we hope will tend to his owne glory &the good &comforth of this tossed &troubled nation; that after so many notionall, ayrie &prophane teachers &preachers, we hope to enjoy through the goodnesse of our faithfull gratious God, by the meanes of the pious &honourable Commissioners appointed by his Highnesse the Lord Protectour, at [last? altered] men of God, or men after Gods owne heart which we hope will &shall feed the people with knowledge &understanding. And that the commissioners may have a speciall care of this, is not only my hearty prayer, but also the prayer of all the faithfull in our parts, who love the truth, the conversion of souls, <&> the building up of Sion, longing &loocking for the appearing of our Lord &Saviour Mr Geiriesh desired that I would send my letters to him unto you, &that you would convay them. My earnest desire therfore is that you would be pleased to convay inclosed, for they doe concern him in a speciall manner. I have at present nothing alse by my humble service to mrs Hartlieb &all yours, as also to learned &pious mr Durie not forgetting yourself; &so committing you, yours &your affairs unto the God &father of our Lord Iesus, &ours in &through him I rest

Sir

                  your humble &oblieged servant

                       in the Lord /

                   Martinus Grundman B.S.

                                [word illeg.]

                                [propriâ?].

Welsch Poole the 16 day of the month

       Sivan Anno 1654

For his much honoured Friend

 mr Samuel Hartlieb at his house

 in charing-crosse these

                         [3?]

                        London

[left of address, another hand?:] 10s-00d

[left margin, a third hand?:] Sivan. 54.