The Life of Hugo Grotius Part 25

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[Footnote 060: Page 300. M. Le Clerc, (_Sentimens de quelques Theologiens de Hollande, dix-septieme Lettre_) defends Grotius with great ability against the charge of Socinianism: he justly observes, that, his abstaining from unpleasing propositions, his silence on offensive doctrines, and his conciliating expressions, should not too easily be accounted proofs, of belief of his precise sentiments of any particular tenets. Grotius, says Le Clerc, was like an arbitrator, who, to bring to amity the parties in difference, recommends to each, that he should give something of what he himself considers to be his strict right.]

[Footnote 061: Ep. 363. p. 364]

[Footnote 062: Ep. 491. p. 195.]

[Footnote 063: Ep. 494. p. 896.]

[Footnote 064: Ep. 1706. p. 736.]

[Footnote 065: _Comparison of Calvinism and Arminianism_. vol. ii. p.

560.]

[Footnote 066: Ib. Vol. ii. p. 609.]

[Footnote 067: Ep. 1538. p. 573, 690, 926.]

[Footnote 068: Ep. 528. p. 400.]

[Footnote 069: "Those," says Mr. James Nichols,[070]

"who wish to behold the praises to which HUGO GROTIUS or HUGH DE GROOT, is justly ent.i.tled, and which he has received in ample measure from admiring friends and reluctant foes, may consult SIR THOMAS POPE BLOUNT's _Censura celebriorum Authorum_. His well earned reputation is founded on too durable a basis to be moved by such petty attacks as those to which I have alluded in a previous part of this introduction (p. xxi.), or those of Mr. Orme in page 641.

"That a man so accomplished, virtuous, fearless, and unfortunate, should have had many enemies, among his contemporaries, is not wonderful. But the number of those who evinced their hatred to him, or to his philanthropic labours, increased after his decease, when they could display it with impunity. 'This very pious, learned, and judicious man,' says Dr. Hammond, 'hath of late, among many, fallen under a very unhappy fate, being most unjustly calumniated, sometimes as a SOCINIAN, sometimes as a PAPIST, and, as if he had learnt to reconcile contradictions, sometimes _as both of them together._'

"One cause of the Charge of SOCINIANISM being preferred against him, has been already mentioned, (p. x.x.xiii.) and it is more fully explained in pages 637, 642. The reader will not require many additional reasons to convince him of the untenable ground for such an accusation, when he is told that VOETIUS, one of the most violent of his enemies, laid down this grand axiom--'To place the princ.i.p.al part of religion in an _observance of Christ's commands is_ RANK SOCIANISM!' To such a _practical observance of the_ requisitions of the Gospel, by what name soever it might be stigmatized, Grotius pleaded guilty. He says (p. 637) 'I perceive this was accounted the princ.i.p.al part of religion by the Christians of the primitive ages; and their various a.s.semblies, divines, and martyrs taught, 'that the doctrines _necessary to be known_ are exceedingly few, but that G.o.d forms his estimate of us from the purpose and intention of an obedient spirit.' I am likewise of the same opinion, and shall never repent of having maintained it.'

"But as the charge of POPERY is of the utmost consequence, I have discussed this topic at great length, (pp. 566, 746), and have proved (pp. 549, 561), that Grotius was as little attached to the principles or the practice of the Romish church as the most zealous of his accusers. Whatever tends to vindicate the conduct of Grotius in this matter, will operate still more powerfully in favour of Archbishop Laud. The design of Grotius is well described by Dr.

Hammond, in a _Digression_ which he added to his _Answer_ to the _Animadversions on his Dissertations_; in which he says,

"'For the charge of Popery that is fallen upon him, it is evident from whence that flows,--either from his _profest opposition to many doctrines of some Reformers, Zuinglius and Calvin, &c_. or from his _Annotations on Ca.s.sander, and the Debates with Rivet consequent thereto, the Votum pro pace and Discussio_.'

"For the former of these, it is sufficiently known what contests there were, and at length how profest the divisions betwixt the Remonstrants and Contra-Remonstrants; and it is confessed that he maintained (all his time) the Remonstrants party, vindicating it from all charge, whether of Pelagianism or Semi-Pelagianism, which was by the opposers objected to it, and pressing the favourers of the doctrine of Irrespective Decrees with the odious consequences of making G.o.d the _author and favourer of sin_, and frequently expressing his sense of the evil influences that some of those doctrines were experimented to have on men's lives. And by these means it is not strange that he should fall under great displeasure from those who, having espoused the opinion of Irrespective Decrees, did not only publish it as the THE TRUTH and TRUTH OF G.o.d, but farther a.s.serted the questioning of it to be injurious to G.o.d's free grace and his Eternal Election, and consequently retained no ordinary patience for or charity to opposers. But, then, still this is no medium to to infer that charge. The doctrines which he thus maintained were neither branches nor characters of Popery, but a.s.serted by some of the first and most learned and pious Reformers.

Witness the writings of Hemingius in his _Opuscula_, most of which are on these subjects. Whereas on the contrary side, Zuinglius and others, who maintained the rigid way of Irrespective Decrees, and infused them into some of this nation of ours, are truly said, by an excellent writer of ours, Dr. Jackson, to _have had it first from some ancient Romish Schoolmen_, and so to have had as much or more of that guilt adherent to them, as can be charged on their opposers. So that from hence to found the jealousy, to affirm him a papist because he was not a contra-remonstrant, is but the old method of speaking all that is ill of those who differ from our opinions on any thing; as the Dutchman in his rage calls his horse an ARMINIAN, because he doth not not go as he would have him. And this is all that can soberly be concluded from such suggestions, that they are displeased and pa.s.sionate that thus speak.

"As for the _Annotations on Ca.s.sander_, &c. and the consequent vindications of himself against _Rivet_, those have with some colour been deemed more favourable toward Popery; but yet I suppose will be capable of benign interpretations, if they be read with these few cautions or remembrances:

"_First_. That they were designed to shew a way to peace whensoever men's minds on both sides should be piously affected to it.

"_Secondly_. That he did not hope for this temper in his age, the humour on both sides being so turgent, and extremely contrary to it, and the controversy debated on both sides by those 'who,' saith he, '_desire to eternize, and not to compose contentions_,' and therefore makes his appeal to posterity, when this paroxysm shall be over.

"_Thirdly_. That for the chief usurpations of the papacy; he leaves it to Christian princes to join together to vindicate their own rights, and reduce the Pope _ad Canones_, to that temper, which the ancient canons allow and require of him; and if that will not be done, to reform every one in their own dominions.

"_Fourthly_. That what he saith in favour of some Popish doctrines, above what some other learned Protestants have said, is not so much by way of _a.s.sertion_ or _justification_ of them, as to shew what reasons they may justly be thought to proceed upon, and so not to be go irrational or impious as they are ordinarily accounted; and this only in order to the peace of the christian world, that we may have as much charity to others and not as high animosities, live with all men as sweetly and amicably, and peaceably, and not as bitterly as is possible, accounting the wars and seditions, and divisions and rebellions, that are raised and managed upon the account of religion, far greater and more scandalous unchristian evils, than are the errors of some Romish doctrines, especially as they are maintained by the more sober and moderate men among them, Ca.s.sander, Picherel, &c.

"_Fifthly_. What he saith in his _Discussio_, of a conjunction of Protestants with those that adhere to the Bishop of Rome, is no farther to be extended, than his words extend it. That there is not any other visible way to the end there mentioned by him, of acquiring or preserving universal unity. That this is to be done, not crudely, by returning to them as they are, submitting our necks to our former yokes, but by taking away at once the division, and the causes of it, on which side soever; adding only in the third place, that the bare primacy of the Bishop of Rome, _secundum Canones_, such as the ancient canons allow of, (which hath nothing of _supreme universal power_, or authority in it,) is none of those causes, nor consequently necessary to be excluded in the [Greek: diallaktikon], citing that as the confession of that excellent person Philip Melancthon. So that in effect, that whole speech of his which is so solemnly vouched by Mr. Knott, and looked on so jealously by many of us, is no more than this, 'that such a Primacy of the Bishop of Rome, as the ancient canons allowed him, were, for so glorious an end as is the regaining the peace of christendom, very reasonably to be afforded him, nay absolutely necessary to be yielded him, whensoever any such catholic union shall be attempted, which as it had been the express opinion of Melancthon, one of the first and wisest Reformers, so it is far from any design of establishing the usurpations of the Papacy, or any of their false doctrines attending them, but only designed as an expedient for the restoring the peace of the whole christian world, which every disciple of Christ is so pa.s.sionately required to contend and pray for.'

"At the conclusion of the Doctor's _Continuation of the Defence of_ HUGO GROTIUS, he thus expresses himself:

"'As this is an act of mere justice and charity to the dead,--and no less to those who, by their sin of uncharitable thoughts towards him, are likely to deprive themselves of the benefit of his labours,--so is it but a proportionable return of debt and grat.i.tude to the signal value and kindness, which in his lifetime, he constantly professed to pay to this church and nation, expressing his opinion, "that of all churches in the world, it was the most careful observer and transcriber of primitive antiquity,"

and more than intimating his desire to end his days in the bosom and communion of our mother. Of this I want not store of witnesses, which from time to time have heard it from his own mouth whilst he was amba.s.sador in France, and even in his return to Sweden, immediately before his death; and for a real evidence of this truth, it is no news to many, that, at the taking his journey from Paris, he appointed his wife, whom he left behind, to resort to the English a.s.sembly at the Agent's house, which accordingly she is known to have practised.'"]

[Footnote 070: Calvinism and Arminianism compared, Introduction, cx.x.xii.]

[Footnote 071: A dialogue on the Reformation was also in the contemplation of Mr. Gibbon: "I have," he says in the Memoirs of his life and writings,[072] "sometimes thought of writing a dialogue of the dead, in which Luther, Erasmus and Voltaire should mutually acknowledge the danger of exposing an old superst.i.tion to the contempt of the blind and fanatic mult.i.tude."]

[Footnote 072: Vol. i. p. 269, of the 8vo. edition of his works.]

[Footnote 073: A full account of the writings of _Wicelius_, and of his projects of Pacification, is given by _Father Simon_ in the _Biblioteque Critique, par M. de Sainjore_, Tom. ii. ch. 18. He concludes it, by observing, that

"the great love which Wicelius had for the peace of the church, might induce him to use expressions, somewhat harsh, but which really ought not to be censured with too much rigour. It is evident that his only view was to be useful to persons of his own time, to whom he consecrated the latter part of his life.--I do not recollect to have read that he was censured at Rome, and the Spanish Inquisitors seem to have observed the same moderation in his regard."]

[Footnote 074: XVI. Cent. Book V. p. 41, in the Englsh translation.]

[Footnote 075: See Mosheim's Ecclesiastical History, Cent. XVII. ch. ii.

sect. ii. Part II.]

[Footnote 076: Eccles. Hist. Cent. XVI. ch. ii. sect. iii. Part. II.]

[Footnote 077: Observat. Hallen, 15 t. p. 341.]

[Footnote 078: It is a prayer addressed to Jesus Christ, and suited to the condition of a dying person who builds his hope on the Mediator. _M.

Le Clerc_ has inserted it at length in the _Sentimens de quelques Theologiens de Hollande_, 17 Lettre, p. 397.]

[Footnote 079: Boswell's Life of Samuel Johnson, 2d Vol. p. 502. 2d Edition.]

[Footnote 080: The author's "Confessions of Faith," mention this convention, its dissolution, and the subsequent union of the Helvetian, and Bohemian protestant congregations, in the Synods, held at Astrog, in the years 1620, and 1627. The original settlement of these churches, was in Bohemia, and Moravia. Persecution scattered the members of them: a considerable number of the fugitives, settled at Herrenhut, a village in Lusatia. There, under the protection and guidance of Count Zinzendorf, they formed themselves into a new community, which was designed to comprehend their actual and future congregations, under the t.i.tle of "_The Protestant Church of the Unitas Fratrum, or United Brethren of the Confession of Augsburgh_." That Confession is their only symbolic book; but they profess great esteem for the eighteen first chapters of the Synodical Doc.u.ment of the church of Berne in 1532, as a declaration of true Christian Doctrine. They also respect, the writings of Count Zinzendorf, but do not consider themselves, bound by any opinion, sentiment, or expression, which these contain. It is acknowledged, that, towards the middle of the last century, they used in their devotional exercises, particularly in their hymns, many expressions justly censurable: but these have been corrected. They consider Lutherans and Calvinists, to be their brethren in faith, as according with them in the essential articles of religion; and therefore, when any of their members reside at a distance from a congregation of the United Brethren, they not only attend a Lutheran, or Calvinist church, but receive the Sacrament, from its ministers, without scruple. In this, they profess to act in conformity to the Convention at Sendomer. The union, which prevails both among the congregations, and the individuals which compose them, their modest and humble carriage, their moderation in lucrative pursuits, the simplicity of their manners, their laborious industry, their frugal habits, their ardent but mild piety, and their regular discharge of all their spiritual observances, are universally acknowledged and admired. Their charities are boundless, their kindness to their poor brethren is most edifying; there is not among them a beggar. The care, which they bestow, on the education of their children, in forming their minds, chastening their hearts, and curbing their imaginations,--particularly in those years,

"When youth, elate and gay, Steps into life and follows, unrestrained, Where pa.s.sion leads, or reason points the way." _Lowth._

are universally acknowledged, universally admired, and deserve universal imitation.

But, it is princ.i.p.ally, by the extent and success of their missionary labours, that they now engage, the attention of the public. These began, in 1732. In 1812, they had thirty-three settlements, in heathen nations.

One hundred and thirty-seven missionaries, were employed in them: they had baptized, twenty-seven thousand, four hundred converts: and such had been their care, in admitting them to that sacred rite, and such their a.s.siduity, in cultivating a spirit of religion, among them, that scarcely an individual, had been known, to relapse into paganism. All travellers, who have visited their settlements, speak with wonder, and praise, of the humility, the patient endurance of privation, and hardship, the affectionate zeal, the mild, and persevering exertions of the missionaries; and the innocence, industry and piety of the converts:--the European, the American, the African, and the Asiatic traveller speaks of them, in the same terms: and, that they speak without exaggeration, the conduct both of the pastor, and the flock in the different settlements of the United Brethren in England, incontestibly proves. Whatever he may think of their religious tenets, _Talis c.u.m sitis, utinam nostri essetis_, must be the exclamation of every christian, who considers their lives. Those, who desire further knowledge of this amiable, and worthy denomination of Christians, will find it in _David Cranz's ancient and modern History of the Brethren, printed at Barby, 1771, and the two continuations of it, Barby_, 1791, and 1804. The History has been translated into English; and is become exceedingly scarce; the Continuations have not been translated. Mr. La Trobe, the Pastor of the United Brethren in London, has published a _Concise Historical Account of the Protestant Church of the United Brethren adhering to the Confession of Augsburgh_.]