exceeding charming to the minds of Youth; being not only more eafily imprinted on the memory, but touching the affections more powerfully, and to the very quick, than when otherwife fpoken at large. And therefore the publick Laws were in the most ancient times thus written, as Ariftotle informs us: and that true Religion might be more easily con vey'd into peoples minds, and fixed there, Apollinarius tranflated all the Books of Mofes Cas Sozomen tells us, L.vi. C. 18.) and the reft of the Hiftory of the Bible, as far as the reign of Saul, into heroick verfe; in imitation of Homer's Poems. Suidas fays, he put the whole Old Testament into fuch Verfe, and it is not improbable, for what he did upon the Pfalms is ftill remaining.

If it were my prefent bufinefs, I could trace this way of Inftruction down to our own times, and through our own Nation, in which it hath been very effectual, as the ftory of Aldelmus fufficiently informs us. Who first brought in the compofition of Latin verfe among the English, a little before Edward the Confeffor's time; and by his excellent faculty in finging, wrought fuch wonderful effects upon the People, for the civilizing of their manners, and for their Inftruction in the duties of Religion, that Lanfrank by his own Authority thought good to make him a Saint.

The

The very fame charms Grotius hoped would bave the fame Effect upon the rude Seamen of bis Country: Into whom he defired by his Rythmes, not only to inftil a fenfe of Piety, but to enable them to convey it to other Nations, with whom they traded. And it feems this Work was fo much famed, that it moved the Curiofity of a great Man in France (into which Grotius went after his wonderfulefcape, 1621. out of that Prifon, or rather Sepulchre, as he calls it in a Letter to a Friend, wherein it was first projected) to ask him very often, what the contents of that Book were, which he bad written in Dutch, upon this fubject of Religion. Whom he fatisfied, by tranflating the fenfe of it into the Latin Tongue, in the Year 1628. and addreffing it unto that excellent Perfon who made the inquiry, viz. Hieronymus Bignonius. Who together with Grotius and Salmafius, the famous Cardinal Richlieu +Epift.Cl.Sar- (a notable Judge of Wits) was ravii, p. 146. wont to say, were the only Perfons of that Age, whom he lookt upon as arrived to the highest pitch of Learning.

In which Tranflation be tells Sarravius, in a Letter to him that Year, he should find, if nothing elfe, that he had at least endeavour'd, brevity with perfpicuity. Which made it fo acceptable every where, though no longer in Verfe, but now in Profe, that in the Tear 1632. I find (he tells Cordefius another learned Man

* Epift. ad GalLos, p.331.417.

Man in France) it was gone the third time to the Prefs, with Some Additions. But not with fo many, it feems, as fome defired; for there were thofe who wished he would have answer'd a Book of Bodin's, which feem'd to impugn it. This he thought a needless pains, for whatfoever it is, faith be (in a Letter to the fame perfon) that seems lb. pag. 407. to fhake the Foundations I have laid (upon which the Chriftian Faith relies) I have already obviated it, as far as is neceffary to perfwade a Reader that is not pertinacious. As for thofe Opinions which are commonly received in Chriftianity, but without the exact knowledge of which, we may be Chriftians, they do not belong to my Argument.

Inter Epist.

rum, p. 748.

præftant. viro

In the fame Tear alfo (1632) I find it Tranflated here into the English Language. Which he himself afterwards takes notice of in a Letter to Gerard Voffius, 1638. Where he tells him, that there were (befide the Englith) two High Dutch Tranflations of this Book, one French; and that the English Embaffadour's Chaplain was turning it into Greek, and the Romanifts themselves into the Perfian Tongue, that by God's Blef fing it might convert the Mahometans.

None of thefe could fee any Socinianism (or other dangerous herefie) in it; which fome of

the

the duller fort of learned men were forward to charge it withal: because he doth not directly. prove in this Book the doctrine of the blessed Trinity. Of which he gives this account in the forenamed Letter, "That he heard a great man (who was Franc. Junius, as I take it,) condemn du Pleffis, and others, for endeavouring to prove that Myftery by Rea"fons fetcht from Nature, and by Platoni"cal Teftimonies (fometimes not very pertinent) which ought not to come into a Dif "putation with Atheists, Pagans, Jews, and "Mahometans: who must all be firft drawn "to believe the holy Scriptures, that from "thence they may learn fuch things as cannot be known, but by divine Revelation.

66

This was the reafon be medled not with the Doctrine of the Trinity directly: But if any body doubted of his Orthodoxy in this Point, They might fee (he tells them in another Letter) what his Opinion was, in his Poems then newly come forth; and the larger explication of it be referved to his Notes.

And for the fame caufe he did not diftinctly treat of fome other things, particularly about the Divinity of our Lord Jefus Chrift, and bis Satisfaction: for which omiffion this Look was blamed, as Sarravius writes to him, by fome who had nothing else to do, but to find

fault

fault with the labours of others. To which Grotius returned fuch an Answer, as not only gave him, he tells us, most full fatisfaction, in thofe two Points; but enabled him to fi lence thofe Accufers. He doth not intimate indeed what that reply was, but as to the former Point it is apparent from his Annotations that he believed our Saviour to be indeed GOD of GOD. And that paffage in the conclufion of the xxi. Section of the V. Book, concerning the Meffias being called in the Holy Scriptures by the Name of GOD and LORD, I should have tranflated thus The Mef fias is called by that Auguft Name of GoD JEHOVAH, and alfo of LORD, viz. ELOHIM and ADONAI. For so be explains himself, I have fince taken notice, in his Annotations, and adds this obfervation, that the Talmud in Taanith fays, that when the time shall come, spoken of xxv. Ifa. 8,9. (i. e. of the Meffiab) JEHOVAH shall be fhewn, as we fay, with the finger: that is, Men fhall be able to point others to him, faying, Lo there is JEHOVAH.

And as for the other thing, it is poffible his Answer might be to the fame purpose with what be writ to Voffius. In which he tells him, that if any one defired to know as he had al

Epift. Præft. Viror. p. 747

ready fignified in à Letter, to one that faid

а

be