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
He thinks that this Monarchy (these are his own terms[577]) is of use in
the church for maintaining its unity. In fine, in a piece against
Rivetus[578], he proves the primacy of the Pope from a passage of St.
Cyprian, and adds, "You see that the primacy is hereby established; and
this name in every society implies some jurisdiction. The Bishop of
Rome, says he[579], is Prince of the Christian Aristocrasy, as it has
been called before our time by the Bishop of Fossombrone. This primacy
is under Jesus Christ, and may be exercised without tyranny, and without
destroying the rights which the Bishops have over the churches committed
to them." He entertained favourable sentiments of the Episcopal
authority even before his embassy; and thought it necessary to preserve
the unity of the Church[580]. "It is a question only in name[581](says
he to his brother some years after) to ask whether Episcopacy be of
divine right: it is sufficient that Jesus Christ has set the example in
the college of Apostles; that the Apostles have followed it, and that
this establishment has been approved by the universal consent of the
Church, excepting some innovators of the present age."
He handles this point in the eleventh Chapter of the treatise _Of the
power of Sovereigns in matters of Religion_[582]; he says it is
fanaticism to advance that a Bishop has nothing above a simple Priest.
"Episcopacy, says he[583], that is to say the preheminence of a Pastor,
is not contrary to the Divine right. It is incumbent on him who thinks
otherwise, that is, who accuses the whole ancient Church of folly and
impiety, to prove his opinion. That Episcopacy[584] was received by the
whole Church appears from the general councils, which have always had
great authority with all devout men; witness the national and provincial
councils, where we find certain marks of the Episcopal precedency;
witness all the Fathers without exception. Episcopacy began with the
Apostles[585]: to be convinced of this we need only have recourse to the
catalogues of Bishops in Irenaeus, Eusebius, Socrates, Theodoret, and
others, who all make them begin with the Apostles. It would be very
great obstinacy or disrespect to reject authors of so great weight, who
unanimously agree in an historical fact. The history of all ages informs
us of the advantages which the Church has derived from Episcopacy[586]."
However he did not yet venture to say[587] that Episcopacy was of Divine
establishment: he contented himself with maintaining that it was of
Apostolical institution. This was sufficient to offend a party among
whom there were some who carried their fury and ignorance so far, as to
maintain that Episcopacy was an invention of Satan: an expression which
scandalized Grotius even in his youth, as appears by a letter written
in 1614 to Daniel Heinsius[588]. He became more bold afterwards; and was
not afraid to maintain in the face of the pretended reformation[589],
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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