He was so persuaded of the truth of these principles, that in an advertisement, prefixed to his Commentary on the New Testament, he declares that if he had written any thing inconsistent with the interpretation of Holy Scripture by the ancient Church, which he hoped he had not, he would chuse to have it neglected, and was most ready to alter it.

FOOTNOTES: 

[557] Ep. 28. p. 9.

[558] Ep. 77. p. 54.

[559] Ep. 1108. p. 498.  See also Ep. 622. p. 943.

XVIII.  This profound veneration for antiquity contributed greatly to render him more favourable to the Roman Catholics.  At a time when it was looked upon by the Protestants as a kind of Apostacy, to speak with decency and temper of the sovereign Pontiffs, he ventured to commend Pope Urbin VIII in some verses made in honour of the blessed Virgin.  He speaks thus of him in a Letter to his brother of the 21st of February, 1625[560].  “I send my father the Poem on the Mother of God.  I would not however have it published, not only because the honour, distinct from superstition, given to the saints offends several of our people; but also because Pope Urbin is commended in it.  He is an excellent Poet, as appears from his elegant Pindaric odes.  God grant he may be able to unite Christians, who are too much divided, in one faith.”

The Reformers were held by him in no great esteem.  In 1633 he wrote to Gerard Vossius[561], “I think nothing can be truer than your judicious remark, that the best way to prevent good men from approving of so many different sects would be to shew them, without animosity or passion, from the sole motive of love to truth, that those who avail themselves so much of antiquity have it not always on their side, and that such as promised to restore the Church to its primitive state have not at all times succeeded.”  He no doubt meant the pretended Reformed.

“The Protestants, says he to his brother[562], go too far when they accuse the Roman Catholics of error; they attack at the same time the whole Greek and Latin Churches, those of Syria, Arabia, and Egypt, and thereby very imprudently furnish arms to their adversaries.  I see, he writes to Vossius[563], that those who have erected new Churches among us, have followed their own ideas, but have not always advanced the affairs of Religion.”

Salmasius was as zealous for the pretended reformed religion, as he was become indifferent to Grotius.  However they visited one another, but it was with much coldness.  “Salmasius (he writes to his brother[564], February 10, 1641) came to see me:  he is ready to defend the most outrageous opinions; among others, that St. Peter never set foot in Italy.  It is surprising what a party spirit will do.”