The Grotian religion discovered, at the invitation of Mr. Thomas Pierce in his Vindication. With a preface, vindicating the Synod of Dort from the calumnies of the new Tilenus; and David, Peter, &c. And the Puritanes, and sequestrations, &c. from the censures of Mr. Pierce. / By Richard Baxter, Catholick.

SECT. XXI.

IN his Discuss. Apologet. Rivietiani p. 255. * 1.1 he saith as followeth [Restitutionem Christianorum in unum idem{que} corpus, semper optatam à Grotio, sciunt qui eum norunt; ex∣istimavit autem aliquando etiam postquam innotuerat Illustrissimo D. Vairio, incipi posse à Protestantium inter se conjunctione. Postea vidit, id plane fieri nequire; quia praeterquam quod Calvinistarum ingenia fer∣me omnium ab omni pace sunt alienissima, Protestantes nullo inter se communi Ecclesia∣stico regimine sociantur, quae Causae sunt cur factae partes in unum Protestantium corpus colligi nequeant: immo & cur partes aliae at{que} aliae sint exurrecturae. Quare nunc plane ita sentit Grotius, & multi cum ipso, non posse Protestantes inter se jungi, nisi simul jungan∣tur cum iis qui sedi Romanae cohaerent; sinc qua nullum sperari potest in Ecclesia com∣mune Regimen. Ideo optat, ut ea divulsio,

quae evenit, & causae divulsionis tollantur. In∣ter eas non est Primatus Episcopi Romani se∣cundum Canones, fatente Melanchthone—] Here you see that Grotius judged that the only way for union was for all Protestants to join with them that adhere to the sea of Rome: And then I hope you doubt not whether Grotius did that himself which he endeavoured to bring all the Protestants to as necessary to their unity; that is, to join with them that adhere to the Pope. If you say that he mentioneth only the Primacy of the Pope at last, I answer 1. He speaks of that only as Melanchthons consessi∣on, 2. And he well know knew that the Pope hath not yet given away all save his meer primacy of Order, nor is about to do it, nor is it a thing to be expected: And yet at present Grotius would have all to join with Rome propter commune Regimen; and that is the Papal Regiment; for there is no other. The rest that followeth shall fur∣ther explaine this; so that here either Gro∣tius calls to us all to become moderate Papists, or else he talks below the rates of a Rational man, about our adhering to the Roman seat.

Notes

• * 1.1

  §. 21.