It was this work that raised him up most enemies.  We see by the letters he wrote to his brother that his best friends were afraid lest they should be suspected of having some hand in the publication of the books in which he treated of Antichrist.  “If you are afraid of incurring ill-will, he writes to his brother[527], you may easily find people that are far from a factious spirit who will take care of the impression.  Nothing has incensed Princes against those who separated from the Church of Rome more than the injurious names with which the Protestants load their adversaries; and nothing is a greater hindrance to that reunion which we are all obliged to labour after in consequence of Christ’s precept and the profession we make of our faith in the Creed.  Perhaps the Turk, who threatens Italy, will force us to it.  In order to arrive at it we must first remove whatever obstructs a mutual quiet hearing.  I hope I shall find assistance in this pious design.  I shall not cease to labour in it, and shall rejoice to die employed in so good a work.”

Reigersberg, Blaeu, Vossius himself, however much devoted to Grotius, beheld with concern[528] 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[529]:  “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[530], who at bottom approved of Grotius’s sentiments, but durst not own them publicly because he was not so independent as Grotius.

The treatise on Antichrist made much noise among all the declared enemies of the Romish Church[531].  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 enquiry 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 Desmarets, Minister of Boisleduc, who has written against him with much bitterness.”