Le Clerc

Le Clerc, JOHN, better known as JOHANNES CLERICUS, a Reformed theologian of somewhat free opinions, was born at Geneva, 19th March 1657, made his studies there in philosophy and theology, next repaired to Grenoble, Saumur, Paris, and London, gradually adopted the Remonstrant theology, and became in 1684 professor of Philosophy in the Remonstrant seminary at Amsterdam. In 1728 a stroke of apoplexy robbed him of speech; he died on 8th January 1736. His works were over seventy in number, many of a polemical character. In his controversy with Richard Simon he revealed opinions which were startling then, however innocent now, on the composition and Mosaic authorship of the Pentateuch, and on inspiration generally, and especially as applied to Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Canticles. His commentaries on the Bible began with Genesis in 1693, and were not completed till 1731. Another important contribution to its subject was his edition of the Apostolic Fathers of Cotelerius (1698). No less valuable were his serial publications—Bibliothèque Universelle et Historique (25 vols. 1686–93), Bibliothèque Choisie (28 vols. 1703–13), and Bibliothèque Ancienne et Moderne (29 vols. 1714–26).