be was accused of Socinianifm) what his opinion was in the business of Chrift's fatisfaEtion, even fince Crellius had written against him: it would appear plainly enough out of bis Tranflation of the LIII. of Ifaiah, in his Difputation against the Jews: (which you may find bere in the V. Book, Section 19.) and from hence alfo, that in the Conclufion of this Work of the Truth of Chriftian Religion, he doth not interpret those words, Heb. 1. 13. juo wamodus, in the prefent Tenfe, making a purgation, or expiating our fins, as Socinus doth, but in the past time, expiatis peccatis noftris, having expiated, or purged away our Sins. Hom they come to be otherwife tranflated in his Annotations on that place, put forth fince kis death, I can give no account.nl And in like manner, I fuppofe, be fatisfied another doubt about a paffage in this Book, whichSarravius defired him to refolue, though I cannot find bis Aufwer to it: For he gives a punctual answer afterward to a question propounded by a Minifter of Rouen, who afkt bim, where he had that of Rabbi Nechumias, who made that publick Declaration (mentioned in the Fifth Book, Sect. 14.) con cerning the appearing of Chrift, 50 Years before our Saviour, to this effect. That the time which Daniel had prefixed for the Which he coming of the Meffiah, could not be prolonged above those fifty Years. tells Sarravius, is to be found in the Talmud, in the Title Sanhedrin (as he remembred;) and he thought also in Abenada upon Daniel. Epift. Claud. Sarrav. p. 52. This was in the Year 1640. when he first put out this Book with Annotations; containing the Teftimonies of thofe Authors, in words at length, whom he had alledged: but bad forgotten, it seems, to fet down where he had this paffage of Rabbi Nechumias. Nor is it now to be found among the Annotations, and therefore they that next print the Book fo enlarged, will do well to supply it from hence, out of Sarravius; who was the firft Perfon to whom he made a +Epift. ad Galprefent of it after it came out, los, p. 460. with the Addition of Teftimonies, defiring to be admonished by him, if, in the midst of much business, any thing bad escaped him, which was less exactly spoken, while he ftudied to ferve the Chriftian Cause. To which he replies immediately, "That as " he could not but esteem it a very great bo"nour to be acknowledged and beloved by the Coryphæus of all Learning, both Sacred and Profane, fo he esteemed this as a Gol"den Book, wherein Grotius had joined Learning a 2 Learning together with Piety, confulting, "that is, the Difeafe of the Age, to whose "Palate Piety (of it felf) had little favour. "And as for the immenfe collection of Tefti"monies then added, he made it appear by them, that in all his Studies the Glory of Chrift bad always been before his eyes, his boly diligence and industry having difcove"red fo many, and fuch things, which had efcaped the fagacious eyes of others. 66 “ 66 And not long after he propounded fome doubts, according to his own defire, and mentioned fome exceptions, (as was noted before) which fome, who had no good will to him, took at this Golden Book, as he again calls it: And, notwithstanding the harsh cenfures of fome learned Men, this excellent Perfon fill perfifted in his high esteem of the worth of this Author; and believed all unprejudiced Men would ever look upon him with great Veneration. So he tells Salmafius five † Epift.Claud. Tears after †, (1645.) Whe Sarrav.p.146. ther they will or no, Grotius will alway be accounted a great Man by you and me, and by all that love Equity and Goodnefs; for he is full of envy, who denies due Praises to fuch an Heroe. And a little while after hearing of the news of his death, he most fadly * * Ibid. p. 171. bewails it, as the extinction of of the bright Star of that Age, whofe Name would be great as long as either Books or Learning were in honour. And while he bad breath, he faith, he would glory in this, that he once had familiar acquaintance with a Man, who was re & nomine magnus; no lefs great in Deed, than his Name imported. This Affection he feems to have carried with him to his Grave; and honoured his Memory at fuch a rate, that in the Tear 1648. be ftill fays, he was proud of the Friendship of that Man, by whom to have been known, was glorious; and who would be reverenced in all future Ages. In conclufion, he calls him that Bleffed Soul; even after he himself had pronounced this fentence against Grotius, that he favoured the Papifts; and not * Ibid. p. 196. only yielded too much to them in his latter Writings, but expreffed too much difaffeEtion to the Reformed in thofe Countries. All this be candidly paffed over with this Cenfure; He is the best who hath fewest Man, And the fame favourable judgment, I fuppofe, all ferious and confidering Men will pass upon a 3 upon him now; and not be hindred by any prejudices, which may have been taken up against him among our felves, from reaping that benefit which they may receive by reading this excellent Book, Which I prefent again to the view of the English World, and have, in a manner, made a new Tranflation of it, the former, which came out near fifty Years ago, being fo defective, that there were few Paragraphs in it which flood not in need of fome Amendment, and in a great number, the fenfe was quite miftaken. Who the Tranflator was, I am ignorant but it is certain, he either did not understand the Latin Tongue, or did not attend to what be was about, as appears by innumerable Inftances: But one may fuffice, in the Third Book, Sect. 3. where he tranflates altera Petri, the one Epiftle of Peter. Befides, there is plain Arianifm in his Tranflation, (Book V. Sect. 21.) for be fays, the Son was not uncreate, as the Father is, when in Grotius the words are, the Son is not ingenitus, unbegotten, as the Father is. Tet where the Tranflation was paffable, I have let it go as it was, that I might not Seem to be too curious a Cenfurer of other Mens labours. And I have added fuch paffages as were not there, the Book it felf ba |