“Reigersberg, Blaeu, Vossius himself, however much devoted to Grotius, beheld with concern the printing of this book, because they did not doubt but it would increase the number of his enemies.  Grotius informs his brother, of the uneasiness which Vossius gave him on this subject.  ‘Among those, who wish this work destroyed,’ says he, ’I am astonished and grieved to see Vossius.  Whence could he have this idea?  I imagine somebody has told him, that it would injure the fortune of his children, if he approved of such books; and that, on the contrary, he would find favour by hurting me.  We must therefore have recourse to Corcellius or Corvinus.’  He elsewhere complains of the too great timidity of this old friend, who at bottom approved of Grotius’s sentiments, but durst not own them publicly, because he was not so independent as Grotius.

    [Sidenote:  CHAP.  X. 1621-1634.]

“The treatise on Anti-christ made much noise among all the declared enemies of the Romish church.  Michael Gettichius wrote to Ruarus, that he had only glanced over Grotius’s book on Antichrist; but as far as he could judge by the first reading, that learned man, who was possessed of such an excellent genius, and such singular erudition, had no other intention than to engage the learned in a further inquiry concerning Antichrist; and to determine them to attack with greater strength, the Romish Antichrist; or, if he wrote seriously, he wanted to cut out a path for going over, without dishonour, to the Papists.  Ruarus answers this letter Dec. 16, 1642, from Dantzic.  ’I have always (he says) looked on Grotius as a very honest and at the same time a very learned man.  I am persuaded that love of peace engaged him in this work.  I don’t deny but he has gone too far; the love of antiquity perhaps seduced him:  no Remonstrant, that I know of, has as yet answered him; but he has been confuted by some learned Calvinists, particularly Desmonets, minister of Bois le duc, who has written against him with much bitterness.’

    “Grotius’s work was printed in 1640, with this title:  Commentatio
    ad loca quaedam Novi Testamenti, quae de Antichristo agunt aut agere
    putantur:—­Expedenda eruditis."[037]

X.5.

His Commentary on the Scriptures.

[Sidenote:  X. 5.  His Commentary on the Scriptures.]

The theological works of Grotius are comprised in four volumes folio:  the three first contain his Commentary, and Notes upon the Scriptures.  On their merit, both Catholics and Protestants considerably differ.  All allow that an abundance of sacred and profane learning is displayed in them; and that Grotius, by his references to the writings of the Rabbis, and his remarks upon the idiom of the sacred writings, has happily elucidated a multitude of passages in the text.  He uniformly adopts the literal and obvious signification of the language used by the holy