The Truth of the Christian Religion with Jean Le Clerc's Notes and Additions. Hugo Grotius

Merits in the Commonwealth of Christians, do sufficiently commend and justify him amongst all good and learned Men. Neither will I say any thing of the Appendix which I have added; it is so short, that it may be read over almost in an Hour’s time. If it be beneath Grotius, nothing that I can say about it will vindicate me to the Censorious; but if it be thought not beneath him, I need not give any Reasons for joining it with a Piece of his. Perhaps it might be expected, most illustrious Prelate, that I should, as usual, commend you and your Church; but I have more than once

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      performed this Part, and declared a thing known to all: Wherefore forbearing that, I conclude with wishing that both you and the Reverend Prelates, and the rest of the Clergy of the Church of England, who are such brave Defenders of the true Christian Religion, and whose Conversations are answerable to it, may long prosper and flourish; which I earnestly desire of Almighty God.

      Amsterdam, the Calends of March, MDCCIX.³

      JOHN LE CLERC.

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      TO THE

      READER

      JOHN LE CLERC wisheth all Health.

      The Bookseller having a Design to reprint this Piece of Grotius’s, I gave him to understand that there were many great Faults in the former Editions, especially in the Testimonies of the Ancients, which it was his Business should be mended, and that something useful might be added to the Notes: Neither would it be unacceptable or unprofitable to the Reader, if a Book were added, to show where the Christian Religion, the Truth of which this great Man has demonstrated, is to be found in its greatest Purity. He immediately desired me to do this upon his Account, which I willingly undertook, out of the Reverence I had for the Memory of Grotius, and because of the Usefulness of the thing. How I have succeeded in it, I must leave to the candid Reader’s Judgment. I have corrected many Errors of the Press, and perhaps should have done more, could I have found all the Places. I have added some, but very short Notes, there being very many before, and the thing not seeming to require more. My Name adjoined, distinguishes them from Grotius’s. I have also added to Grotius’s a small Book, concerning chusing our Opinion and Church amongst so many different Sects of Christians; in which I hope I have offered nothing contrary to the Sense of that great Man, or at least to Truth. I have used such Arguments, as will recommend themselves to any prudent Person, easy, and not far-fetched; and I have determined that Christians ought to manage themselves so in this Matter, as the most prudent Men usually do, in the most weighty Affairs of Life. I have abstained from all sharp Controversy, and from all severe Words, which ought never to enter into

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      our Determinations of Religion, if our Adversaries will suffer it. I have declared the Sense of my Mind in a familiar Stile, without any Flourish of Words, in a Matter where Strength of Argument and not the Enticement of Words is required. And herein I have imitated Grotius, whom I think All ought to imitate who attempt to write seriously, and with a Mind deeply affected with the Gravity of the Argument, upon such Subjects.

      As I was thinking upon these things, the Letters which you will see at the End, were sent me by that honourable and learned Person, to whose singular good Nature I am much indebted, the most Serene Queen of Great Britain’s Embassador Extraordinary to his Royal Highness the most Serene Great Duke of Tuscany.⁴ I thought with his Leave they might conveniently be published at the End of this Volume, that it might appear what Opinion Grotius had of the Church of England; which is obliged to him, notwithstanding the Snarling of some Men, who object those inconsistent Opinions, Socinianism, Popery, nay, even Atheism itself, against this most learned and religious Man; for fear, I suppose, his immortal Writings should be read, in which their foolish Opinions are intirely confuted. In which Matter, as in many other things of the like Nature, they have in vain attempted to blind the Eyes of others: But God forgive them, (for I wish them nothing worse,) and put better Thoughts into their Minds, that we may at last be all joined by the Love of Truth and Peace, and be united into one Flock, under one Shepherd Jesus Christ. This, Kind Reader, is what you ought to desire and wish with me; and may God so be with you, and all that belong to you, as you promote this Matter as far as can be, and assist to the utmost of your Power.

      Farewel.

      Amsterdam, the Calends of March, MDCCIX.⁵

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      TO THE

      READER.

      I have nothing to add to what I said Eight Years since, but only, that in this my second Edition of Grotius, I have put some short Notes, and corrected a great many Faults in the Ancient Testimonies.

      Amsterdam, the Calends of June, MDCCXVII.⁶

      J. C.⁷

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      TO THE

      Most Noble and Most Excellent

      HIERONYMUS BIGNONIUS,⁸

      The King’s Sollicitor in the Supreme Court of Audience at PARIS.

       Most Noble and Excellent Sir,

      I should offend against Justice, if I should divert another way that time which you employ in the Exercise of Justice in your high Station: But I am encouraged in this Work, because it is for the Advancement of the Christian Religion, which is a great Part of Justice, and of your Office; neither would Justice permit me to approach any one else so soon as you, whose Name my Book glories in the Title of. I do not say I desire to employ part of your Leisure; for the Discharge of so extensive an Office allows you no Leisure. But since Change of Business is instead of Leisure to them that are fully employed, I desire you would in the midst of your forensick Affairs, bestow some Hours upon these Papers. Even then, you will not be out of the way of your Business. Hear the Witnesses, weigh the Force of their Testimony, make a Judgment, and I will stand by the Determination.

      Paris, August 27, ciͻ-c-sc; iͻ-c-sc;c XXXIX.⁹

      HUGO GROTIUS.

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      THE

      TRANSLATOR’S Preface

      TO THE

      CHRISTIAN READER.

      The general Acceptation this Piece of Grotius has met with in the World, encouraged this Translation of it, together with the Notes; which, being a Collection of Antient Testimonies, upon whose Authority and Truth the Genuineness of the Books of Holy Scripture depends, are very useful in order to the convincing any one of the Truth of the Christian Religion. These Notes are for the most Part Grotius’s own, except some few of Mr. Le Clerc’s, which I have therefore translated also, because I have followed his Edition, as the most Correct.

      The Design of the Book, is to show the Reasonableness of believing and embracing the Christian Religion above any other; which our Author does, by laying before us all the Evidence, that can be brought, both Internal and External, and declaring the Sufficiency of it; by enumerating all the Marks of Genuineness in any Books, and applying them to the Sacred Writings; and by making appear the Deficiency of all other Institutions of Religion, whether Pagan, Jewish, or Mahometan. So that the Substance of the whole is briefly this; that as certain as is the Truth of Natural Principles, and that the Mind can judge of what is agreeable to them; as certain as is the Evidence of Mens Bodily Senses in the most plain and obvious Matters of Fact; and as certainly as Mens Integrity and Sincerity may be discovered, and their Accounts delivered down to Posterity faithfully; so certain are we of the Truth of the Christian Religion; and that if it be not true, there is no such Thing as true Religion in the

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      World, neither was there ever or can there ever be any Revelation proved