[another hand:] Durie
[scribe:]
Reverend & loving Brother in Christe.
there was an evill report raised by some that Came out of England against the State and Goverment of the Church of Scotland in favour of the Independent ways, as if your Presbyteriall waye[altered from wayes] was not only insuportable, and prejudiciall to the lawes of Christian and true Liberty but also fundamentally different[H alters] of<H: from> the[H alters] Goverment of these Churches. This leaven was beginning to spread[H alters] it selfe in the mindes of some of these [Churches?] when I perceived that Satan did intend to sowe a seed of alienation from yow, in these Divines who[H alters?] ought to joyne rather in Brotherly endeavours with yow, to helpe[H alters] to cure the neighbour Church of England; for it lyeth between you in sicknes languishing under a strange distemper of Evill humors & may disturbe yow both[,] in end[H alters]<H: ,> if noe prevention bee used. Therefore to roote out this weed of spirits <H: sinister> impression; and to provoke the cheif Men here to that Duety[H alters]<H: ,> I have mooved some to drawe up[H alters] a draught of the Integrall parts, of the Common and distinct[H alters] Ways[H capitalises] of their <H: their> Ecclesiasticall Goverment[H capitalises] and the Fundamentall[H capitalises] Maximes wherby theie walke vniformally[H alters] therin to keepe the Vnity[H capitalises] of the Spiritt in the bond <a> of Peaceable Latitude of the bond of <H: of> lesser differences entire with aimable Correspondencie[H capitalises] amoung themselves: This draught[H alters] heere adjoyned being obtained, I did impart it to Mr Alexander Petrie <H: Petrey> my cousen here<H: ,> [which?] <H: who> is[H alters] a prudent man & well Versed in your [Church?] Constitutions[H capitalises?]<H: ,> who was pleased att my request to sett downe the breife notes annexed att the end thereof to shew the [catchword: difference]
difference[H alters]. But because I conceaved that it might bee of Vse to lay a ground of[H alters] good and brotherly Correspondence between yowe <H: you> & the leading men of these partes, that jointly[H alters from joyntly] You[H capitalises] might as[H alters] it were embrace in the Armes of Charity your[H alters] Sister Church of England to heale hir breaches; therefore I thought it expedient to send[H alters] this draught unto you to submitte it with the intent wherfore it hath beene procured<H: ,> vnto[H alters from unto] your judgment, & to desire your Pietie[H capitalises] and Prudence[H capitalises] to[H? alters] thinke upon some waye, wherby this or the like Motion[H capitalises], in due tyme, may bee made more effectuall than our private Negotiation[H capitalises and alters] is able too[H? alters] make it. If you then will give me leave to acquaint yow with my further thoughts in this busines[H? alters] I shall leave the matter to yowr zealous consideration[altered] and Charitable affection, to doe therin, or to advise me to doe what you shall thinke most advantagious to edification<H: .> For[H capitalises] as I have noe aime in this of mine owne<H: ,> soe I referr[H alters from reffer] the[H?] proceedings therin to those[H alters] whom it doth cheifly concerne. Only[H capitalises] I desire to give them a share of the occasion<H: ,> which God <H: putted in> my[H alters] hand to <H: doe> him Service If[H capitalises] then yow thinke fitt to lett[H alters] me know yowr opinion[H alters] concerning this[H alters]<H: ,> which Master Petrie hath putt[H alters] to paper[H alters]<H: ,> or if yow will [lend?] <H: adde> something to it in another kind[H alters from king] to decla <H: declare,> the Agreement of your Goverment with this[altered] in that which is substantiall[H alters], or if you would make such another Draught[H capitalises] (as this[H alters] of the dutch) is) of the Fundamentall[H capitalises] Maximes[H capitalises] wherby you[H alters] walke and impart to mee either att my arrivall, or sooner; perhaps it may be made [catchword: a]
meanes, not only to wipe away the aspersions, which are cast upon your Church, by ill willers to it, & to peace; but also to sette <H: settle> the Affections[altered] of the ablest that are here towards a Concurrence[H capitalises] with you in Publick[H alters] Vndertakings[H capitalises]<H: ,> which may prove a greatt furrtherance[altered] to the Gospell of Christ[altered] in futture <H: future> tyme. Why[altered from who, H capitalises] should the Adversaries bee more dilligent to sow the seeds of dissension amoungst Vs, then wee to keepe[H alters] & establish that Meanes[H capitalises] of Vnity and love <H: Loue> & if this is a duty Commanded surely we ought freely[altered] to provoke one another to the discharge therof<H: ,> and when Men have done what a good Conscience requireth unto <H: in> such Cases theie may give up[altered] the successe to <H: vnto> Gods Providence and rest contented. But till a Tryall bee made of that<H: ,> which is likeliest to bee sucesfull, I see not how it is warrantable upon conjecturall feares[H alters from feare] and appearances to surcease from vnblameable[H alters from unblameable] attempts. Therfor I hope yow will take this my freedome in good part and by the meanes of this[H alters] friend (by whom I send these) att your Convenient[alteration] leisure, let me understand, by a line or two, what I may expect upon this Motion from you. I beseech the Lord to instruct us all to bee faithfull to him and Charitably-Sollicitous[H alters] [&?] compassionat[H? alters] one to <H: towards> another for the advancement of the Kingdom of his Sonne in whom I am.
your Affectionat
Rotterdam. this 10/20 Decemb: Brother & servant
1644. Iohn Dury
[Hartlib's hand]
To his Reverend and much honoured
Friend and Brother in Christ
Mr Alexander Hinderson
Preacher of the Gospel and
one of the Commissioners of the
Church of Scotland to the Assembly
of divines
at
London.
