-dh^ LIBRARY OF THE Theological Seminary PRINCETON, N. J.
'booJc, No, 'Jyjy^l'^^i^^ T H F TRUTH Chriftian Religion, SIX BOOKS HUGO GROTIUS.
Correded and lUuftrated with NOTES.'
To which is added, a SEVENTHBOOK, Wljat Chrijiian Church we ought to join oiir^ fehes to.
By the faid Mr LE CLERC.
The Fifth Edition, with Additions: Particularly one whole BOOK of Mr L e C l e r c V^ Againjl Indifference ofvjhat Religion a Nl^an is of.
LONDON: Primed. for John and Paul Knafton, m Ludgate- Street, MDCCLIV.
Moft Reverend Prelate THOMAS, Lord Axc\^i^o^o^Canterburyj Primate of all England^ and Metropo- litan, and Privy-Counfellor to Her moft Serene Majefly the Queen of Great'Britaift.
UPON the Reprinting this ex- cellent Piece of that great Man Hugo Grotmsy concerning the Truth of the Chriftian Religion; whereunto I thought fit to add fomething of my own, and alfo fome Teftimonies, from which the good Opinion he had of A 2 the tKe Church of England^ is evident; there was no other Perfon, moft Re- verend Prelate, to whom I thought it fo proper for mc to Dedicate this Edi- tion, with the Additions, as the Pri- inate and Metropoh'tan of the u^hole Church o{ E?7glancL I therefore pre- fentit to you 5 as worthy your Protection upon its own Account, and as an In- fiance of my Refpedl and Duty to- wards you. I will not attempt here, either to praife or defend Grotius; liis own Virtue and diftinguifhing Merits in, the Commonwealth of Chri- ftians, do fLifficiently commend and juftify him amongft all good and learn- ed Men. Neither will I fay any thing of the Appendix which I have added;' it is fo fhort, that it may be read over almoft in an Hour's time. If it be beneath Grotius^ nothing that I can fay about it will vindicate me to the Cenforious; but if it be thought not beneath him, 1 need not give any Reafons OT £A DEDICATION, fons for joining it with a Piece of hi§. Perhaps it might be expededj moft illuftrious Prelate, that I fhould, as ufual, commend you and your Church j but I have more than once performed this Part, and declared a thing known to all: Wherefore forbearing that, I conclude with wifliing that both you and the Reverend Prelates, and the reft of the Clergy of the Church of Englandy who are fuch brave Defen- ders of the true Chriftian Religion, and whofeConverfations are anfwerable to it, may long profper and flourifh; which I earneftly defire of Almighty, Amfterdaib theCaUn^ flDiflw JoHN Le'ClERC. fl/^ March, MDCC IX.. J A3 TO a H T HIb fijaiiliiw DflaaD a J MHo|^ READER John Le Clerc wifheth all Health.
THE Bookfeller havmg a Dejign to re^ print this Piece of Grotius'^, I gave him to iinderjland that there njoere many great Faults in the former Editions^ efpecially in the T'ejlimonies of the Ancients^ which it was his Bufinefs Jloould be mended^ and that fomething iifeful might be added to the Notes: Neither would it be unacceptable or unprofitable to the Reader y if a Book were added ^ tojhow where ths Chrifiian Religion^ the 'Truth of which this greats Man has demonjlrated^ is to be found in its great - eft Purity, He immediately defired ine to do this upon his Account^ which I willingly imdertook, out of the Reverence I had for the Memory of Grotius, and becaufe of the Vfefulnefs of the tlmig. How I have fucceeded in it^ I mi ft leave to the candid Reader^ judgment, I have cor- reBed many Errors of the Prefs, and perhaps P^ould have done more^ could I have found all the Places. I have added fome^ but very Jhort A 4 Notes, To tl^.BBe3«'d e r.
To tl^.BBe3«'d e r.
NoteSy there being very many before^ and the thing not feetning to require more. Ny Name adjoined^ dijiinguijhes them from Grotius'j. / have alfo added to GrotiusV a f mall Book^ con- cerning chujing our Opinion and Church amongfl Jo many different SeBs of Chrijiiam^ in which I hope I have offh'ed nothing contrary to the Senfe . of that great, Man^ or at leaji to 'Truth. I have . ufiJJut-h Argime7iiSyas wilireccmmend themfelves to any prudent Ferfon-eafy^ and no": far fetched; 0id I have determined ihat Clrijiians ought to t:Manage themfelves fo in this Matter, as the mojl prudent Men if tally do^ inthemoji weighty Af- fairs of Ljfe., I have: abjiaiued from all farp Qjntroverjyi and from all jevere Words, which ought never to enter, into our DetermimitioTiS'of [ Religion^ ij ourAdverfaries will fuffek-it: I > h^ve declared the Senfe of my Mind in a familiar 'Stile y without any Flourijh ofWords^ in a Matter \^nghere Strength of Argument and not the Entice- ^ jtmit of Words is required. And herein ■■ I have .mitinted Grot'ms^ whom I think All ought to imi- 4ale loho attempt to write ferioufly^ and with a Minddetply affe^ed with the Gravity of the Ar- gument ^ uponfuch SuhjeBs, •< AS I was thinking upon thefe things^ the Let- ters which you will fee at the End ^ were fcnt me hy that honourable and learned -Ferfori^ to whofe Jingular good Nature I am much indebted^ the O 'V mofl -To the Re ad e k.
^^jl Serene ^een of Great Britain'^ Emhajfa- dor Extraordijiary to his Royal Highnefs the moji Serene Great Duke ofT\i{^r\y, I thought with his Leave they might conveniently he publified at ■ the End of this Volume^ that it might appear what Opinion Grotius had of the Church ofEng- land; which is obliged to hin?y notwithfianding the Snarling^ of feme Men, who objeB thofe m- confijlent Opinions^ Soci^nanifm, Popery y nay, even Atheiffn itfclf againft this moji learned and re- ligioiis Man; for fear, Ifuppofey his immortal Writings Jhoidd be read, in which their foolifi 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 wijh them nothing \ worfe) and put better Thoughts into their Minds ^ that we?nay at laji be all joined by the Love of Truth and Peace, and be united into one Flocks under one^ Shepherd Jefus Chrijl. This, Kind Reader, is what you ought to defire and wiJJo with me ', a7id may Godfo be with you, and all that be- long to- you, as you projnote this Matter as far as can be, and ajjijlto the utmojl of your Power.
FarewcL READER.
I Have 7tothi7ig to add to what I /aid Eight Tears Jiitce^ but only^ that in this my Jecond Edition of Grotius, / have put Jome port NoteSy and cor- re&td a great many Faults in the An-. cient TeJiimonieU'-y \^^^ ijijom...K.r«^ « i .. oj aifbb J yxji Ion ob I Ao ahiT ^riJ Mod Noble and Moft Excellent HiERONYMUS BiGNONIUS, 'A The King's SoUicitor in the Supreme Court of Audience at Paris.
Moft Noble and Excellent 5/r, I Should offend againft Juftice, if I fhould divert another way that time which you employ in the Exercile of Juftice in your high Station: But I am encouraged in this Work, becaufe it is for the Advancement of the Chriftian Religion, which is ^ great Part of Juftice, and of your Office ^ neither would Juftice permit me to approach any one elfe fo foon as you, whofe Name my Book glories in the Title of. I do not fay I defire to employ part of your Leifure; for the Difcharge of fo extenfive an Office allows you no Leifure. But fince Change of Bufinefs is inftead of Leifure to them that are fully employed, I defire you would in the midft of your forenfick Affairs, beftow fome Hours upon thefe Papers. Even then, To HiERONYMUS BiGNONIUS.
then you will not be out of the way of your Bufinefs. Hear the Witnefles, weigh the Force of their Teftimony, make a Judgment, and I will ftand by the Determination.
ciD IDC XXXIX «LhoW adJ ni riliw tarn ^&A vd\\^*<^ -o) ^ii lo noilBJifiBiT. aiitt bag^iuoana ecb lo z\ laO odi HiiiiT bn£ y* iqoo.> ax) ii^H. flora >cL aiij S S.E jjii^' THE Tranflator's Preface Christian READER, TH E general Acceptation this Piece of Grotius has met with in the World, encouraged this Tranflation of it, to- gether with the Notes ^ which, being a Col- lection of Antient Teftimonies, upon whofe Authority and Truth the Genuinenefs of the Books of Holy Scripture depends, are very ufeful in order to the convincing any one of the Truth of the Chriftian Religion. Thefe Notes are for the moft Part Grotius's own, except feme few of Mr Le Clerc^s^ which I have therefore tranflated alfo, becaufe I have followed bis Edition, as the moft Corred:.
The Defign of the Book, is to fliow the Realbnablenefs of believinor and embracine the Chriftian Religion above any other -, which our Author does, by laying before us all the E- vidence, that can be brought, both Internal and jExternal, The Tranjlators PrefSFe.
External, and declaring the Sufficiency of it; by enumerating all the Marks of Genuinenefs in any Books, and applying them to the Sacred Writings; and by makingappear the Deficiency of all other Inftitutions of Religion, whether Fagan^ yewifi^ or Mahometan. So that the Subftance of the whole is briefly this; that as certain as is the Truth of Natural Principles, and tliat the Mind can judge of what is agreeable to theni J as certain as is the Evidence of Mens Bodily Senfes, in the moft plain and obvious Matters of Fa6l; and as certainly as Mens Inte- grity and Sincerity may be difcovered, and their Accounts delivered down to Pofterity faithfully ^ fo certain are we of the Truth of the Chriftian Religion -, and that if it be not true, there is no fuch Thing as true Religion in the World, nei- ther w^as there ever or can there ever be any Revelation proved to be from Heaven; -'^f" This is the Author's Defign, to prove!he Truth of the Chriftian Religion in general, againft Atheifts, Deifts, Jews^ or Mabo??ietans; and he does not enter into any of the Difputes which Chriftians have among themfelves, but confines himfelf wholly to the other* Now as the State of Chriftianity at prefcnt is, were a Heathen or Mahometaji convinced of the Truth of the Chriftian Religion in general, he would yet be exceedingly at a Lofs to know what So- ciety of Chriftians to join himfelf with; fo miferably The Tranjlators Prefab.
ferably divided are they amongft themfelves, and- feparated into fo many Sedts and Parties, which differ almoft as widely from each other as Heathens from Chriftians, and who are fo zealous and contentious for their own particu- lar Opinions, and be!ar fo much Hatred and ill Will towards thofe that differ from them, that .. there is very little of the true Spirit of Charity, which is the Bond of Peace, to be found amongft any of them: This is a very great Scandal to the Profeffors of Chriftianity, and has been exceed- ingly differviceable to the Chriftian Religion; infomuch that great Numbers have been hin- dered from embracing the Gofpel, and many tempted to caft it off, becaufe they faw the Pro- feffors of it in general agree fo little amongft themfelves: This Confideration induced Mr Ze" Clerc to add a feventh Book to thofe oiGroiins:, wherein he treats of this Matter, and fho v/s what ^ it becomes every honeft Man to do in fuch a \C^^ And I have tranllatedit for the fame Rea- , fon. All that I fliall here add, fhall be only briefly to enquire into the Caufe of fo much Divifion in the Church of Chrift, and to fhow what feems to me the only Remedy to heal it. Firft, to examine into theCaufe, why the Chu rch ,, of Chrift is fo much divided: A Man needs but :; a little Knowledge of the State of the Chriftian . Church, to fee that there is juft Reafon for the iame Complaint St PWmade in the primitive Times The Tranjlators Preface.
Times of the Church of Corinth: that feme were for Paul, fome for Apollos, and fome for Cephas; fo very early did the Spirit of Fadtioil creep into the Church of God, and difturb the Peace of it; by fetting its Members at Variance with each other, who ought to have been all of the fame common Faith, into which they Were baptized 5 and I wiih it could not be faid that the fame Spirit has too much remained amongfl Chriftians ever fince. It is evident that the Foundation of the Divifions in the Church of CcnW/j, was their forfaking their common Lord and Mafter, Jcfus Ckriji, into whofe Name alone they were baptized; and uniting them- felves, fome under one eminent Apoftle or Teacher, and fome under another, by whom they had been inftrudled in the Doctrine of Chrift; whereby they were diftinguifhed into different Sed:s, under their feveral Denomina- tions: This St Paid complains of as a Thing in itfelf very bad, and of perniciousConfequence; for hereby the Body of Chrift, that is, the Chriftian Church, the Dodlrine of which is one and the fame at all Times and in all Places, is rent and divided into feveral Parts, that claili and interfere with each other -, Which is the only Method, if permitted to have its natural Effed, that can overthrow and deftroy it. And from the fame Caufe have arifen all the Divi- fions that are or have been in the Church ever , lince.
The Tranjlatprs Preface.
fince. Had Chrlftians been contented to own but one Lord, even "Jefus Chrijl, and made the Doftrine delivered by him the fole Rule of Faith, without any Fidlions or Inventions of Men ', ithadbeenimpolBblebutthattheCharch ofChrift muft have been one univerfal, regular, uniform Thing, and not fuch a Mixture and Confufion as we now behold it. But when Chriftians once began to eftablifli Dod:rines of their own, and to impofe them upon others by human Authority, as Rules of Faith, (which is the Foundation of Antichrift,) then there began to be as many Schemes of Religion as there were Parties of Men, who had different Judg- ment, and got the Power into their Hands. A very little Acquaintance with Ecclefiaftical Hi- ftory does but too fadly confirm the Truth of this, by giving us an Account of the feveral Doctrines inFafliion, in the feveral Ages of the Chriftian Church, according to the then prefent Humour. And if it be not fo now, how comes it to pafs that the Generality of Chriftians are fo zealous for that Scheme of Religion, which is received by that particularChurch of which they profefs themfelves Members? How is it that the Generality of Chriftians in one Country are zea- lous for Cahinifmy and in another Country as zealous ior Arinintanifm^ It is not becaufe Men have any natural Difpofition more to the one than the other, or perhaps that one has much %ha Tranjlators FrefaCe.
inore Foundation to fupport it from Scripture ^than the other j But the Reafon is plain, 'viz.
becaufe they are the eftabUflied Doftrines of .^e Places they live in; they are by Authority '"^^piade the Rule and Standard of Religion, and Men are taught them from the Beginnings by ^ this Means, they are fo deeply fixed and r. footed in their Minds, that they become preju- Jciiced in Favour of them, and have fo ftrong a "Relifh of them, that they cannot read a Chap- ^ Jerin the Bible, but it appears exadly agreeable ^to x\\Q received Notions of them both, tho' per- „. J^aps thofe Notions are direftly contradictory to each other: Thus Inftead of making the Scrip- ^ture the only Rule of Faith, Men make Rules ^of Faith of their own, and interpret Scripture ,^ ^ccprding to them y which being an eafy way of ^^ coming to the Knowledge of what they eflecm ^j^ie Truth, the Generality of Chriftians fit down Very well fatisfy'd with it. But whoever is in- 'deed convinced pf the;Trutli of theGofpeU and /has any Regai-d for tlie Honour qf it, cannot ^^ut be deeply concerned to fee its facmd Truths ; jjiu^'proftituted to. the Power aDd;:tmexeftsi of "IVlen y and think it liis Duty to do the utmoft . Jie is able to take it out ofdieir Hands, and fix ^;Jjt on its own immoveable Bottom. In order to ^Vontribute to which, 1 iliall in the Second Place ^.Piow, what feems to be the only Remedy that The Tranjlators Preface.
that is> in one Word, making the Scripture the only Rule of Faith. Whatever is neceflary for aChriftian to believe, in order to everlafting Sal- vation, is there declared, in fuch a Way and Manner as theWifdom of God, who bed knows the Circumftances and Conditions of Mankind, has thought fit. This God himfelf has made the Standard for all Ranks or Orders, for all Capacities and Abilities \ And to fet up any other above, or upon the Level with it, is diihonour- ing God and abufing of Men. AH the Authority in the World cannot make any Thing an Article of Faith, but what God has made fo \ neither can any PoWer eftabliih or impofe upon Men, 'more or lefs,or otherwiie than what theScripture •commands. God has given everyMan propor- '^tionable Faculties and Abilities of Mind, fome ■^ft ronger and fome weaker; and he has by his own 'Authority made the Scripture the Rule ofReli- gion to them all; It is therefore their indifpe/i- ^^fible Diity to examine diligently, and ftudy at- tentively this Rule, to inftrudt themfelves in the /Knowledge of Religious Truths frofh hence, ;;and to form the beft Judgment they can of the ;^ 'Natureof them. The Scripture will extender ^ontradlitfelfaccordingtotheCapacitiesofMeh; ^"^The ftrOngeft and largeft Underftanding will ^there find enough to fill and imtprove it, and ^the narrbweft and meaiieft Capacity, will fully '"ticquiefce in what is there required of it. Thus The Tranjlators Preface'^ all Men are obliged to form a Judgment of Religion for themielv.es, and to be continually ttCtuymg and improving it; They may be very helpful and affifting to each othei in the Means of coming to this Divine Knov^ledge, but no one can finally determine for another; every Man muft judge for himfelf 5 and for the Sincerity of his Judgment he is accountable to God only, who knows the Secrets of all Hearts, which are beyond the Reach of human Power: This muft be left till the final Day of Account, when every Man ihall be acquitted or condemned according as he has adled by the Dictates of his Conlcience or no. Were all Chriftians to go upon this Principle, we fliould foon fee an End of all the fierce Controverfies and unhappy Divifions which now rend and confound the Church of Chrift: Were every Man allowed to take the Scripture for his only , Guide in Matters of Faith, and, after ail the .Means of Knowledge and Inftrud:ion ufed, all the Ways of AiTu ranee and Conviftion try'd, permitted quietly to enjoy his own Opinion, the Foundation of all Divifions would be taken away at once: And till Chriftians do arrive at this Temper of Mind, let them not boaft that they are endued with that excellent Virtue of Charity, which is tii^ diftinguiiliing Mark of their Profefllon; for if what St Paul fays be true, that Charity is greater than Faith, it is The Tra?tjlatcrs Preface IS evident no Chriftian ought to be guilty of the, Breach of a greater Duty upon Account of a leffer; They ought not to difturb that Peace and Unity which ought to be ajnongft all Chriftiansj for the Sake of any Matters of Faith, any Differences of Opinion; becaufe it is contrary to the known Law of Charity: And how the far greateft Part of Chriftians will clear themfelves of tranfgreffing this plain Law, I know not. Wherefore if ever we ex- pedtto have our Petitions anfwered, when we pray that God would mal^e us one Flock under ovit Shepherd and Bifhopof our Souls, "^^fus Chrijl y v/e muft ceafe to make needlefs Fences of our own, and to divide ourfelves into fmall fepar ate. Flocks, and diftinguiih them by that whereby Chrift has not diftinguifted them. When this Spirit of Love and Unity, of for- bearing one another in Meeknefs, once becomes the prevailing Principle amongft Chriftians ^ then, and not till then^ will the Kingdom of Chrift in its higheft Perfedtion and Purity flou- rifli upon the Earth, and aJltkeJRftwexs.Qf Darknefs fall before it^Q llfilo noiji^bnuol arh U '^tnim ob gii^riln/lD lib boA: sono U \by/& l£di Jlsod jofi modi jt>I,bmM lo 73qm3T aidl lo ounlY 3nt>lhjjit) K^-Ai fliiw b^ubas om vodi lo ±u^U gniriliujir J O H N G L A R K £•> ad 8^£l W^ yd n^avr it loi, noiibioiH ihA^ (as) THE OS Mk.^V.«K IIIX THE CONTENTS.
Sect. Page I. 'HT^ HE Occaficn of this Worky i III. That there is hut one God 6 IV. All Perfection is in God^ 8 y. And in an infinite Degree^ ibid.
VI. That God is Eternal^ Omnipotent^ Omnifcient^ and compleatly Good. g VII. That God is the Caufe of all things, ibid.
VIII. The ObjeSliony concerning the Caufe of Evily anfweredy 1 6 IX. Againft two Principles, i y X. That God governs the Univerfe, ibid. XL And the Affairs of this lower Worlds 1 8 And the Particulars in it, ibid.
XII. This is further proved by the Prefervation of Empires, 1 9 XIII. And by Miracles, 20 XIV. But more efpecially amongjl the Jews, who ought to be credited upon the Account of the long Continuance of their Religion, 2 1 XV. From the Truth and Antiquity of Moksy 23 XVI. From foreign Teftimonies, 25 XVII. The fame proved alfo from Predi^lions, 7 1 And by other Argument Sy 73 ori^l XVIIL-.ira^ Ohje^ionscf Miracles not being fe en ?.nczvy anfweredy • 75