The Life of the Truly Eminent and Learned Hugo Grotius: Containing a Copious and Circumstantial History of the Several Important and Honourable Negotiations in Which He Was Employed; together with a Critical Account of His WorksBurigny, M. de (Jean Lévesque)
History
The Life of the Truly Eminent and Learned Hugo Grotius: Containing a Copious and Circumstantial History of the Several Important and Honourable Negotiations in Which He Was Employed; together with a Critical Account of His Works
Burigny, M. de (Jean Lévesque)
Grotius, Hugo, 1583-1645
We have seen that Grotius, on his arrival at Paris after his escape from
Louvestein, had room to be dissatisfied with the reformed Ministers,
who, under pretence of his refusing to receive the Synod of Dort, and
his attachment to Arminianism, would not communicate with him. The happy
revolution in his fortune made one in their minds, as he writes to
Vossius[240]. Immediately on his arrival at Paris in quality of
Ambassador from Sweden, he was visited by six of the principal reformed
Ministers, among whom were Faucher, Aubertin, Daille, and Drelincourt.
They were not much attached to the rigid sentiments on Predestination:
some even seemed to prefer Melancton's system to that of Calvin. Before
Grotius had determined in what manner he should act with the Ministers
of Charenton, Faucher, Mestrezat, and Daille came on the 2d of August,
1635[241], to ask him to join their communion; which, they assured him,
discovered a greater disposition than ever towards an union among
Protestants, having lately resolved to admit Lutherans. "They hoped,
they said, that he looked on their Confession of Faith as consistent
with Christianity; that they had the same charitable sentiments
concerning that of the Arminians; that they had not forgot what he had
formerly said, writing against Sibrand, 'that he wondered whether the
Contra-Remonstrants would refuse to admit St. Chrysostom and Melancton
into their communion, if they should offer themselves;' that they had
read and approved of his Treatise on the Truth of the Christian
Religion, and what he had lately written, exhorting Christians to live
in peace; that they had written to Holland, to make no more difficulty
about admitting the Remonstrants into their communion; and that the
Dutch, become more moderate in process of time, would give attention to
their reasons." Grotius answered, that he was ready to give them public
proofs of his willingness to join in communion with them, and that it
was not his fault he had not done this sooner: adding, that if he should
go into any Country where the Lutherans, knowing his sentiments on the
Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, should be willing to receive him into
their communion, he would make no difficulty of joining with them: which
the Ministers approved of.
He had not yet determined to go to Charenton on the 23d of August, 1635.
"I weigh matters (he writes to his[242] brother) that I may do what is
most agreeable to God, useful to the Church, and advantageous to my
Family."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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