To the Honourable, the Knights, Citizens, and Burgeſſes met in Parliament, the humble Petition of JOHN DURY, Miniſter of the Goſpel of JESUS CHRIST.
THat whereas for the ſpace of more then ten yeers by-paſt, not without knowledge and permiſsion of his Majeſty, with the good liking, approbation, and furtherance of forraign Proteſtant Princes and States, and with advice, incouragement, and inſtigation of the chief Divines in all the Churches whom it doth concerne, the purpoſe of Eccleſiaſticall reconcilement amongſt Proteſtants hath been proſecuted, and the means thereof ſo farre advanced, as in a private Theologicall way they can be prepared; which by this adjoyned briefe relation will appear, and may be made more fully evident by other circumſtances of the Worke.
Therfore my humble ſuit is unto your Honourable Aſſembly, to be pleaſed to take this matter, which ſo much concerneth the glory of God, and the welfare of his Church, into your pious conſideration, to countenance and aſsiſt religiouſly the ſame.
And to this effect, if your wiſdome think it expedient, ſome Act or Declaration might be made,
Firſt, That the bleſſed, and long ſought for union of Proteſtant Churches may bee recommended unto the publick prayers of the Church.
And ſecondly, That either an Evangelicall correſpondency for mutuall edification, for healing of breaches, for taking away of ſcandals, and for the advancement of the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt amongſt Proteſtants, ſhould henceforth bee entertained with forraigne Churches, by thoſe to whom the care of ſo bleſſed a worke may be with authority referred: Or that his Majeſty, with your Honours advice and grave counſell, might bee moved to call together a generall Synod of Proteſtants in due time, for the better ſetling of weighty matters in the Church, which now trouble not onely the conſciences of moſt men, but diſturb the tranquillity of publick States, and divide the Churches one from another, to the great hinderance of Chriſtianity, and the diſhonour of Religion. All which evils by this means may bee taken out of the way, and from hence a great bleſsing of God, and much honour amongſt men will redound to this Church and Nation: And I your humble Petitioner, as in duty bound, will daily pray for his Majeſties long and happy reigne over us, and for the proſperous ſucceſſe of this high and Honourable Court of Parliament.