St. Clement’s Epistle was not sent to Grotius till after his departure from Hamburg, and arrival at Francfort[623].  He examined it immediately, and wrote his thoughts of it, July 17, to the famous Jerom Bignon, Advocate-General:  After reading it over and over, he remained satisfied that it was the same which Photius had seen, and which St. Jerom, Clement of Alexandria, and before them St. Irenaeus, had; and which was written in the end of Nero’s reign, or some years before that of Vespasian; and that it was most authentic, without the least interpolation.  As to the second Epistle, ascribed to St. Clement, he did not think it written by that Pope:  but at the same time did not question its being a work of the first Century.  Grotius agrees in this with the most learned Critics even among the Roman Catholics[624].

He obtained a sight of St. Barnabas’s[625] Epistle, of which he was so desirous; but he had not the satisfaction to see it printed.  Usher undertook to publish it in 1643; but before it was finished a fire consumed at Oxford what was already printed[626].  Two years after, Father Menard’s edition appeared:  but this was the year of Grotius’s death.  To return to his opinion concerning the points controverted between the Roman Catholics and Protestants:  he speaks with great contempt of the inadmissibility[627] of grace.  His treatise Of faith and works is written against this error.  He maintains that it is the most pernicious system that can be introduced; that it is not to be found in any of the Fathers; and was not so much as tolerated in ancient times.

He proves that fasting was very early observed in the Church, as we may be convinced by reading St. Irenaeus[628]; that Lent was always observed by the ancient Church; that the sign of the Cross has something respectable in it, and was used in the first ages, as Tertullian, and others after him, observe; that Virginity[629] is a more perfect state than marriage, as the Fathers taught; that the Romish Church preserved the ancient discipline of the Western Church with regard to the celibacy of the Priests; that Jesus Christ himself taught[630] that such as lived in celibacy were more proper for the ecclesiastical functions; that the African Church agreed in this point with that of Rome; and that, besides, the Romish Church did not refuse to communicate with Churches which permitted Priests to marry.  Of all the religious orders he approved most of the congregation of the Fathers of the Oratory, and the institution of the Jesuits, because the first retired when they pleased; and the others might leave the society with permission of their Superiors.

In fine, he speaks of the Council of Trent with great respect.  “Those, he says[631], who shall read its Decrees with a mind disposed to peace, will find that every thing is wisely explained in them, and agreeable to what is taught by the Scriptures and the ancient Fathers, as may be seen by the passages cited in the margin.”