A96239:26
A letter from the Assembly of Divines in England, and the commissioners of the…
A letter from the Assembly of Divines in England, and the commissioners of the Church of Scotland, written, and sent by order of the honourable House of Commons assembled in Parliament, to the Belgic, French, Helvetian, and other reformed churches. Translated into English, and now published with the several inscriptions to those churches. By order of the said House.A letter from the Assembly of Divines in England, and the commissioners of the Church of Scotland, written, and sent by order of the honorable House of Commons assembled in Parliament, to the Belgick, French, Helvetian, and other reformed churches. Translated into English, and now published with the severall inscriptions to those churches. By order of the said House.
London: printed by Richard Cotes for Ralph Smith, 1644
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Letter: A Letter from the Assembly of Divines in England, and the Commissioners of the Church o…
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Secondly, that ye will sympathize with us as Brethren, who suffer in, and for the same cause, wherein your selves have been oppressed, which will be no little refreshing to our mourning spirits, when we shall know that our God who smites us, yet inclines the hearts of his beloved Churches to look upon us with compassionate bowels, ⟨p. 11⟩as judging us to be the servants of their own God, and Saviour Jesus Christ, and as remembering themselves to be in the body.
Secondly, that yee will sympathize with us as Brethren, who suffer in, and for the same cause, wherein your selves have beene oppressed, which will be no little refreshing to our mourning spirits, when we shall know that our God who smites us, yet inclines the hearts of his beloved Churches to looke upon us with compassionate bowells, ⟨p. 11⟩as judging us to be the servants of their owne God, and Saviour Jesus Christ, and as remembring themselves to be in the body.
Thirdly and lastly, That as all the Antichristian faction owns the cause of our Adversaries as their own, and contributes what lies in their power every way to their help, and our ruin: So that you would embrace our condition, as your own common cause, wherein if we be once swallowed up, your selves are not like long to escape; the quarrel of the enemy being not so much against the persons of men, as against the power of Godliness, and Purity of Gods word wherever it is professed. The way and manner of your owning us, we leave wholly to your selves: Except this one particular, which we must importunately crave, even your fervent prayers both public and private. That God who heareth prayer, now he hath humbled us and broken all our Arms of Flesh (whereon alas we have been too prone to lean) would himself bring salvation to us, that the blessings of truth and peace might rest upon us, that these three Nations may be joined as one stick in the hand of the Lord, and that we our selves, contemptible builders, called to repair the House of God in a troublesome time, being ashamed of our former pollutions, may see the pattern of this House, and commend such a platform to our Zerubbabels, as may be most agreeing to his own sacred word, nearest conformity to the best Reformed Churches, and greatest uniformity amongst our selves, that all mountains may become plains before them and us, that then all who now see the plummet in our hands, may also behold the Top stone set upon the head of the Lords house amongst us, and may help us with shouting to cry, Grace, Grace unto it.