2. That you would quicken your ministers and elders, in their provincial and classical meetings, by some charge and command to think of ways how best to gain and deal with dissensions. The matter is not below the care of a Christian magistrate. Histories tell us how Constantine did beseech his bishops to an agreement, oversee their counsels, travail in the peace of the churches. Socrates saith he was affected with the schisms of the church as his own calamity .^ Well, then, if you would be pleased to quicken them by your com- mand, and enable them by your authority to find out and to act in such ways as may tend to the ending of the differences and controver- sies, much good might be done. I humbly conceive the true nature and intent of such meetings is not altogether or chiefly to give laws authoritatively to the particular churches, as to consider how to com- pose differences that do arise in them ; and it were sad if the mint and cummin were preferred above the weighty works, and the chief of their care were spent either in trivial disputes, or in making rules for their own rather than in studying all brotherly ways of gaining those that differ, and healing the breaches of the church. This, I say, were sad indeed ; the true intent and nature of these meetings being to give satisfaction, and to carry things with more clearness of demonstration, and to give out the sense of the church in matters
' See the History of the Council of Dort in the Preface to the Eeformed Churches. * See Socrates' Ecclea. Hist., lib. L cap. 7, iu the Greek, et alius passim.
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of difficulty : for, indeed, the less of a court and the more of a council they have in them the better ; therefore, if you would command and chiefly commend these things of unity to their care and debates, some hope might arise that way,
3. That you would take care that ministers put out for scandal may not be so easily taken in again. Against those that are humbly penitent and modestly ingenuous, no man would open his mouth ; but for the others, I am persuaded they are, and will be, a great means of our troubles ; partly as they occasion no small offence to the godly ; the dead body of Amasa in the way to discourage the people of the Lord from going on to union and accord ; the sons of Eli, that cause many to abhor the offering of the Lord : partly as those that are very apt to be the cinifloes that will blow up the coals of strife amongst us. The first stirs about religion in the Low Countries were occasioned by the ministers of the old leaven, whom they were fain to take in out of necessity in that scarcity of ministers, and to allow some of them, because of their parts, in eminent places. The story nameth Wig- gerus, Coelhaasius, and others, who kindled those sparks of trouble, which afterwards were blown up by James Arminius into a great flame.l Many observe that the Jesuits go over to the Lutherans and foment differences between them and the Reformed ; and truly we may fear their influence ; men that have the old malice and a new irritation will stir in a way of revenge. The Lord guide you ! I am sorry to hear the complaints that are abroad.
4. In the liberty that you give, use gi'eat caution. Some things you may be forced to bear with for a time ; take heed of endangering the truth of God ; you ought to be tender of Christ's little ones ; woe to those that offend them, Mat. xviii. But you ought to be more tender of Christ's truths ; you owe somewhat to Christ's saints and servants, but, I say again, more to his truths. It is somewhat un- heard of that these two should come in contest and competition. However, you will find Christ more jealous of his ways than of his servants, of his truths than of his saints. It is truth makes saints : John xvii. 27, ' Sanctify them by thy truth, thy word is truth ; ' and husbandmen are ever more careful of their seed-corn than of the increase ; and, besides, we may be deceived in saints — we do not know hearts ; but we cannot so easily in truths, because there is a sure standard to measure them by. Therefore, take heed of doing any- thing against truth. It is a good old caution, In veste varietas sit scissura non sit — though there be divers colours, yet let there be no rent in the church's coat. I will not take upon me to state the matter ; what liberty you may give, and how far. I'erhaps that may be un- seasonable. However it will not, I hope, be too much presumption to present you with the most obvious miscarriages of magistrates in this mattei'. Three sorts of men there are in the world, and concerning every one of them we may say, ' The way of peace they have not known,' Rom. iii. 17.
■^ ' Amabilem Belgicarum Ecclesiarum pacem atque harmoniam perturbare conati sunt olim nonnulli, qui deserto Papismo, sed fermento ejus nondum plene expurgato ad ecclesias nostras transierant, earumdemque ministerio iu prima ilia ministrorum inopia admoti fuerant, Casperus Coelhasius Leidce, Hermanns Herbertus Goudse et Dordrecti,' &c. — Vide Historiam. Syn. Dord. in Prcef. ad Ecclesias sub initio.