[595] Ep. 181. p. 67.

[596] Via ad pacem art. x. p. 619. & 642.

[597] Votum pro pace, p. 687.

[598] Animad. in Animad. art. x. p. 642.

[599] Via, p. 619.

[600] Variations, l. 9. p. 37.

XXI. He justifies the decision of the Council of Trent concerning the
number of the sacraments in his works against Rivetus. "The word
sacrament, though sometimes taken in a more general signification, may
nevertheless, says he[601], be understood in a more limited one of these
seven external signs, which are designed for the good of our souls, and
more distinctly mentioned in Scripture; Baptism in St. Matthew xxviii.
19. Confirmation, Acts viii. 17. Penance, Matthew xvi. 19. the
Eucharist, Matthew xxvi. 26. Ordination, 1 Tim. iv. 22. Extreme Unction,
Mark vi. 13. James v. 14. and Marriage; Ephes. v. 32."

FOOTNOTES:

[601] Rivet. Apol. discussio, p. 698.

XXII. In the examination of the other articles, which divide the Roman
Catholics from the Protestants, Grotius continued to lean towards the
Romish Church. In 1638 he acknowledges in a letter to Corvinus[602],
that pious and able men, who were well disposed towards the Protestants,
owned they were mistaken in the decision of the principal controversies
between the Protestants and the Romish Church.

After the year 1640 he took no offence at the use of images in churches,
and prayers for the dead. He writes to his brother this year[603], "The
Lutherans have images, and there are some in several places of England.
Montaigue and others have proved that it is not idolatry to have
recourse to the prayers of the Apostles and Martyrs."

He explains himself afterwards much more strongly in favour of the
Romish Church. He was persuaded[604] that the Cherubims of Moses clearly
shewed that images were not forbid. "The honour due to Martyrs, says he,
in his _Via ad pacem_[605], is much greater than what we owe to living
Saints, because the Apocalypse tells us, that the Martyrs reign with
Jesus Christ: there is therefore no harm in publicly testifying our
esteem for them, and celebrating their memories on days set apart for
that purpose, and in the places where they suffered martyrdom. The
Protestants acknowledge that they pray for the Church: they are in the
wrong therefore to look on those as Idolaters; who, agreeable to the
opinion of several ancients, think the knowledge of our wants and our
prayers may be communicated to the Martyrs by a revelation from God, or
by the m