treats of the end of the
priesthood, and the duties of the Priests: he places what relates to the
distinction and unity of the three Persons, the two Natures, and their
properties, among the points of which we may be ignorant without ceasing
to be good Christians. It is probable this piece was written before
those concerning Antichrist, the author appearing in it less favourably
disposed towards the Roman Catholics and the Pope.

It is apparent that Grotius had not sufficiently examined this subject,
since he speaks of it in a manner so heterodox. He would not have held a
language so opposite to Christianity, at, or after the time of his
dispute with Rivetus.

FOOTNOTES:

[526] Ep. 416. p. 874.

[527] Ep. 477. p. 890.

[528] Ep. 480. p. 891. & 482. p. 891.

[529] Ep. 485. p. 892.

[530] Ep. 445. p. 895. 507. p. 901. 511. p. 902. & 514. p. 904.

[531] Ep 61. p. 276. & 89. p. 415.

XIII. Grotius, even whilst engaged in the dispute against the zealous
Protestant Ministers, undertook to clear up the origin of the Americans;
which enquiry involved him in a controversy that gave him much
uneasiness. John de Laet of Antwerp, who had much studied these matters,
printed Grotius's work, with Notes, under this title: _Joannis de Laet
Antverpiani Notae ad dissertationem Hugonis Grotii de Origine gentium
Americanarum, & Observationes aliquot ad meliorem indaginem difficillimae
illius questionis. Amstelodami apud Ludovicum Elzevirium, anno
1643_[532].

Grotius first confutes those, who think that the people of America came
from Great Tartary, because they had no horses before the Spanish
conquest, and that it is impossible the Scythians, who abounded in
horses, should bring none with them; besides the Tartars were never
seamen. His opinion is, that North-America was peopled by persons from
Norway, from whence they passed into Iceland, afterwards into Greenland,
from thence to Friseland, then to Estotiland, a part of the American
continent, to which the fishers of Friseland had penetrated two
centuries before the Spaniards discovered the New World. He pretends,
that the names of those countries end with the same syllables as those
of the Norwegians; that the Mexicans and their neighbours assured the
Spaniards they came from the North; and that the country which the
Norwegians inhabited, after quitting Estotiland, has retained almost
the name of Norway; that there is yet a town in it called Norembega; in
fine, that ther