Petition to the House of Commons 2
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo2/A81928.0001.001
Project Note
This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.
However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.
This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
JOHN DURY HIS PETITION TO THE HONORABLE HOUSE OF THE COMMONS IN ENGLAND, NOW ASSEMBLED IN PARLIAMENT.
LONDON, Printed in the year M.DC.XLI.
To the Honorable, the Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses met in Parliament, the humble Petition of JOHN DURY, Minister of the Gospel of JESUS CHRIST.
T Hat whereas for the space of more then ten years by-past, not without knowledge and permission of his Majesty, with the good liking, approbation, and furtherance of foreign Protestant Princes and States, and with advice, encouragement, and instigation of the chief Divines in all the Churches whom it doth concern, the purpose of Ecclesiastical reconcilement amongst Protestants hath been prosecuted, and the means thereof so far advanced, as in a private Theological way they can be prepared; which by this adjoined brief relation will appear, and may be made more fully evident by other circumstances of the Work.
Therefore my humble suit is unto your Honorable 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 wisdom think it expedient, some Act or Declaration might be made,
First, That the blessed, and long sought for union of Protestant Churches may be recommended unto the public prayers of the Church.
And secondly, That either an Evangelical correspondency for mutual edification, for healing of breaches, for taking away of scandals, and for the advancement of the Gospel of Jesus Christ amongst Protestants, should henceforth be entertained with foreign Churches, by those to whom the care of so blessed a work may be with authority referred: Or that his Majesty, with your Honors advice and grave counsel, might be moved to call together a general Synod of Protestants in due time, for the better settling of weighty matters in the Church, which now trouble not only the consciences of most men, but disturb the tranquility of public States, and divide the Churches one from another, to the great hindrance of Christianity, and the dishonor of Religion. All which evils by this means may be taken out of the way, and from hence a great blessing of God, and much honor amongst men will redound to this Church and Nation: And I your humble Petitioner, as in duty bound, will daily pray for his Majesty's long and happy reign over us, and for the prosperous success of this high and Honorable Court of Parliament.