bies ufquequaque faviret, non effe petendum ab Imperatoribus ut ipfam Hærefim juberent omnino non effe, pænam conftituendo eis qui in illa effe voluiffent; fed hoc potius conftituerent, ut illorum furiofas violentias non paterentur qui veritatem catholicam vel pradicarent loquendo, vel legerent conftituendo. Sed Dei major mifericordia id egit ut legati noftri quod fufceperant obtinere non poffent. Fam enim nos prævenerant ex aliis locis quædam Epifcoporum querela gravissi me, qui mala fuerant ab ipfis multa perpeffi, & à fuis fedibus exturbati, præcipue horrenda & incredibilis cædes Maximiani Epifcopi Catholici Ecclefia Vagienfis effecit, ut noftra legatio jam quid ageret non haberet. Fam enim Lex fuerat promulgata, &c. Thus S. Austin; after which follows a more particular Relation of their most inhuman and horrid Usage of the Catholick Bishop Maximian. They that read these things in one of those Epiftles to which our Monfieur refers us, will scarce think that S. Auftin deferved to be called a Beast, and one that forfeited eternal happiness; and to be treated in fuch fort as he is by our Mon fieur. Some may be apt to startle at this, that I fhould fay that our Monfieur calls S. Austin a Beaft, and one that forfeited eternal happiness; and therefore I fhall produce his words. He (fays he) that is

for

for being cruel to thofe that differ from him, makes himself a Beast, and forfeits eternal happiness, which is promifed to reasonable Creatures, not to Savages: But, according to our Monfieur, S. Austin was for being cruel to thofe that differ'd from him Therefore, &c.

Our Monfieur refts not here, but goes on labouring to create all the Odium to this Father that he poffibly can. And at laft he plainly lays the Perfecution of the Proteftants in France at his door, telling us a story of the French King, which I hope no body will believe upon his bare word. Tho' if we fhould fuppofe it to be true, we need not go far to feek an Anfwer, our Monfieur having furnished us with one, when he fays that he was impos'd upon by Flatterers. Thefe Flatterers mifreprefented things (as our Monfieur useth to do) and did not inform the King aright, either concerning the Practices of the Donatifts, or the Carriage of S. Austin in this matter.

Our Monfieur concludes his Railing against S. Austin with these words; I speak in that manner, who do not use, like many others, to calumniate the Living, and speak untruths in favour of the Dead. But it is well if there be nothing of Calumny in thefe very words. Howfoever, as we must

not

not fpeak untruths in favour of the Dead, fo certainly we ought not to speak such untruths of them as tend to their dispraise or diffamation. And if our Monfieur be guilty of fpeaking untruths against them, of unjustly accufing them, making them to have promoted fuch Doctrines as they themselves plainly disown'd; if instead of obferving the known Rule of faying nothing but well of the Dead, he fay all manner of Evil of them, and that falfely; he is more culpable than he would be if he fpoke untruths in favour of the Dead. And therefore it concerns our Monfieur to reflect seriously upon that which he hath faid against Dr. Hammond ånd other perfons deceas'd, against the Ancient Fathers and the Apostles themselves.

SECT. III.

Of Monfieur Le Clerc's Skill in the Hebrew, and other Oriental Languages.

OUR Monfieur in many places would

feem to have confuted Dr. Hammond's Interpretations of fome Hebrew, Chaldee and Syriack words, or had a mind to fhew his Skill in interpreting them; and I con

ceive it may not be amifs to take a view of thefe, that it may appear how excellent a Critick he is in thefe Tongues.

P. 17. in S. Matth. 4. 14.

23.

H. Grotius has obferved upon Jam. 2. that it was common for the Hebrews to fay, that fuch or fuch a place of Holy Scripture was fulfilled, whenever any thing came to pafs, refembling what was mention'd in that place. But he gives us no Example of it, and therefore I shall produce one out of R.Solomon upon Gen.11.8. where at the words the Lord fcattered them abroad, he makes this remark,

בעולם הזה מה שאמרו פן נפוץ נתקיים עליהם הוא שאמר שלמה מנורת רשע היא

NN Thus Monfieur Le Clerc.

Animadv.

That which Grotius in Jam.2.23. obferves, is otherwhere made ufe of by our Monfieur against both Grotius himself and Dr. Hammond. Hence it is that our Monfieur fet himself to find out fome Examples of it, and he thought that at last he had found one. But he is fo unhappy, as that instead of giving us an Example, in which fomething refembling that which was mention'd came to pass, he produces an Example

wherein

wherein the very fame thing came to pafs. Solomon's faying, Prov. 10. 24. The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him, was really and literally verified in those who are mention'd Gen. 11. 8. They feared left they should be fcattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth, Gen. 11.4. and this their fear came upon them, for God did Scatter them abroad upon the face of the whole earth, v.8.

This must be acknowledged to be a very grofs mistake, and yet our Monfieur is no lefs mistaken in the Tranflating the words of R. Solomon. He renders them thus, As they had faid, left we be fcattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth, so that faying of Solomon was verified concerning them, What he is afraid of fhall come upon him. But he fhould have rendred them thus; In this World that which they said, Left we be scattered abroad was fulfilled upon them. This is that which Solomon Jays, Prov. 10. 24. The fear of the wicked, it fhall com? upon him. It is manifeft from the words that they ought to be thus rendred; but as to our Monfieur's rendring, as it agrees not at all with the words, fo it is not an eafy matter to make fense

upon

of it.

Perhaps our Monfieur will take this for a warning, and not be fo ready for the fu

F

ture