raeus,
a Clergyman in Sweden, with whom he cultivated a correspondence for
advancing the coalition of Christians[646]. "What you labour in with so
much zeal is precisely what I have been employed about since I began to
have any relish for divine things. Experience teaches me how many
difficulties we must expect both from Statesmen and Divines bigotted to
their own opinions, and averse to those of others: but all these
obstacles ought not to prevent our undertaking such a good work: if we
do not succeed, we shall at least enjoy the satisfaction of having
entertained very sublime ideas. For my part, as I have done it already,
so I shall still continue to recommend to the High Chancellor your
piety, your learning, your good intentions, and your zeal, to which I
ardently wish success; and the accounts of your progress from time to
time will give me the greatest pleasure.--Duraeus's enterprize is
attended with particular difficulties at this time, he writes to
Berneggerus[647]: but things as difficult have often had a happy issue:
besides, it affords much satisfaction to a man's conscience to have
attempted what is highly useful, even though he should fail of success."

Duraeus meeting with great obstacles, Grotius consoles him on that head,
in a letter of the 21st of November, 1637. "What gives me hopes, he
says, is your constancy, and the countenance of the High Chancellor. I
have conferred on this subject with the two English Ambassadors, the
Earl of Leicester and Lord Scudamore: they are of my opinion, that the
present time, while Europe is engaged in war, is not favourable for
convoking a general assembly of Protestants."

Duraeus's project regarding only a union among Protestants, Daille and
the ablest men among the reformed Ministers approved of it, with some
limitations: there was, however, little prospect of success[648] on
account of the intollerant spirit of some turbulent Ministers, such as
Voetius.

Grotius had much higher views; he proposed nothing less[649] than to
reunite all Christians: in this, he said, he would not cease to labour;
and, that it would yield him pleasure to die so well employed[650]; that
he gave himself little pain about the hatred he might incur, for if men
gave way to this fear, never any vice would be corrected.

What encouraged him farther, in this idea, was the number of great men
who entertained it before him. "I am not the only one who hath conceived
this project, he writes to hi