The Hartlib Papers

euery one, (& <which> is necessarie, that my endevours may not bee [fruitless in? MS torn] their behalfe) may not bee stopped & lost by reason of [worldly? MS torn] preiudices: which iustly they may take <up> if I should become partiall; whatsoeuer therefore can make me lyable to such preiudices, & will stoppe my waye from[altered] gaining <a free> accesse towards those with whom I haue to deale; I must needs auoid & Prudently decline, lest I should bee, or seeme to bee partiall; & consequently uselesse unto my worke of Christian Pacification & public edification, which must relate unto more Churches & Nations then one; & therefore <it> must bee so caried that euery one may haue an equall & iust interest in it so farre as they doe interest themselues in the Truth of Christianitie; & <in> the wayes of innocent Charitable dealing towards euery one. for this is one of the essentiall Characters of a true Christian to bee blamelesse & harmlesse without rebuke in the midst of a crooked & peruerse nation, doing euery thing without murmurings & disputings, that the word of life may bee held forth unto the world wherin wee should shine as lights, beeing the Children of God, the Father of lights; & doing all thinges openly as in his sight who doth see the secrets of all hearts & will lay open the same in due tyme. for which cause (as yow know I haue alwayes walked) [illeg. word?] now I must avoid all hidden thinges of darknes; & if I ought to answer yowr prouocation; I must put on an armour of light in this matter, to shew yow the waye of open dealing which I must follow if I should bee employed according to yowr motion.

first causes of euill surmises & iealousies; which once hauing taken place will hardly bee cured & will infect and blaste all the particular actions which in processe of tyme may ensue towards those that are once prepossessed therewith. now I know that all euill surmises & iealousies cannot bee possiblely preuented, but that euen Prudencie it self in some that are wise, & weaknesse in others that are partiall, will breed iealousies, & that a rash speech or an imprudent action, or a false report of either of these will bee able to affect mens mindes with that passion; therefore I doe not think to exempt my self from the danger of this inconvenient by this cautiousnes; but I only doe; it & must intend to haue my dismission from hence thus procured, that I may satisfie mine owne iudgment in the waye of my proceeding without which care my conscience would not bee at rest & I should want in the future progresse of my worke; that resolution which is necessarie to support me to go through [stick?] with the undertaking wherunto yow call me: therefore I praye yow persuade them to yeeld unto this waye of proceeding for to initiate me in the employment wherunto they doe call me, that beeing once fairely entered upon it I may doe them & the public afterward the better seruice. I send yow here the copie of that which I wrote from Hamburg unto some in Scotland, yow may make use of it as yowr discretion shall teach yow, & I praye yow lette this present letter bee imparted to the leading Divines, & others of the parliament who helpe to leade on the uniuersall Counsells: The Grace of God bee with yow & direct yowr endevours to his glory & teach us to make use of the occasions which are offered to aduance his glory & the comfort of his Churches in all places where his name is truly knowen. I haue not tyme to write to my sister but by the next post God willing shee shall heare from me so I rest