y; -2 -dh^ LIBRARY OF THE Theological Seminary PRINCETON, N. J. Cdse^ !"— ^^.^^ Piysion Shelf, / />?..yr. .%^'®n 'booJc, No, 'Jyjy^l'^^i^^ T H F TRUTH O F T H E Chriftian Religion, I N SIX BOOKS HUGO GROTIUS. Correded and lUuftrated with NOTES.' By Mr L E C L E R C. To which is added, a SEVENTHBOOK, Concerning this Qu e s t i o k, 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. Done into EngliSh by JOHN CL.U^KE, D. D' Dean of S a r u m. LONDON: Primed. for John and Paul Knafton, m Ludgate- Street, MDCCLIV. % fam i iioM r . ■^-^- i^H oJ loIblnuoO-^vM Bob ^fliij:: T O T H E 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 Rea- fons 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, xriB:^! boB boog ii£ li§noffiB miri ^(ilih : ■ gnirl:! ^n£ \£i I lliw i^AlhVi .n^M hj Amfterdaib theCaUn^ flDiflw JoHN Le'ClERC. fl/^ March, MDCC IX. . J ad ii 11 .omiJ ziuoVL hb fli flofcik nso I 3Bill gnidlon ji^uo^-^x)' flji^3n3d ^ib ol ^m 3lBoibfliv lli^^» ^^ ^rjode \^i Ion iHgaofi:r od ai It luc, ^ ..Jiioln^D -B^H \aB :37rg ion bx^n I .mk! rllnsn^d 2nol A3 TO a H T >i :i a A H. }i HIb fijaiiliiw DflaaD a J MHo|^ 0^ W ^(i ^.^ ^^ ^5 T O T H E 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. 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 , . . X Amfterdam, the Calends^ ^iA Wv-T*? «W A'^^i^ r*t^.^ ^<>m ' 'to T O T H E 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 r ::if iif b3;^siuoQfl5 me I JuS : noh^i8 ri§W 1 diia sao ^(ni: xiofiOTqqfi oi ^oi iimi^q ^Diftti^ ' ' jlooa ^{m aniBVI slorlw ^rjoY 8b nool .. oj aifbb J yxji Ion ob I Ao ahiT ^riJ jud .3iulbJ on uoy awolk ^^rftO ns dVfinsJxs •o^ oiiili^Jlo bc^fini ai alsfulfjaf lo ognfiriQa^nfi 'hvj diiiob I tb^^oIqm;> X''"^ ^^^ ^^^ marl J t }A JDilnaioi luo^ "io Ubim arfl ni bluow ir3v3 .«i^b4 ^l^rll noqx/ 3iuoH ^mol wo^d T O T H E 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. Paris, Au^ft ty, ^-^ Ulkii^ T ciD IDC XXXIX ^ a a A a r hugo grotius. i*?'^^^' «LhoW adJ ni riliw tarn ^&A vd\\^*<^ -o) ^ii lo noilBJifiBiT. aiitt bag^iuoana djprlw £iv -nifl^T Kt^itnA 1 ecb lo z\ laO odi HiiiiT bn£ y* Qrii lo 3X1^ ; i viio;} d r h o J ipfaio ni Ii n -'i , : 23loVI ^IsflT 3vl nKiflhrlD'adi "io fl ' iqoo.> ax) ii^H. flora >cL aiij S S.E jjii^' 11107 '\o ys THE Tranflator's Preface T O T H E 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 mi- ferably 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 ( a ) more %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 zS'^^^^^^^^^l^ and ^. — --^r--^.^ 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 ^' (a 2) all 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 w d i' M O D V . T ,^^•^-0^(1 V*^^^^^^ ^^5i «^ \^' « ^U^xlW ,■ \^'Kvlv ' ^--■-'- - -^ u ^^C^ JIZ OS Mk.^V.«K IIIX THE CONTENTS. B O O K I. Sect. Page I. 'HT^ HE Occaficn of this Worky i IT, X '^hat there is a God^ 2 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 . (a4) XVIII. the' C5 O N T E N T^ST ori^l XVIIL-.ira^ Ohje^ionscf Miracles not being fe en ?.nczvy anfweredy • 75 XlXi '^j/ind of_ there being fo much JVickednefs^ rj.6 XX. And that fo grecf^^ as to opprefs good Men, .7 7 XXI; This may be turned upon, them^ Jo tis to prove - that Souls furvive Bodies^ 78 XXII. Which is ccnfirmed by Tradition^ ibid. XXIIt . -Andr no way repugnant . to Reafon, 81 XXIV. But many things favour it, 84 XXV. From whence- it follows that the End of Man is Happinefs after this Life,' 85 XXVI. Which we ynufifecicr^, b^ finding out the ^•^ true 'Religion, ' -- J- • ^^* Ni\;t^^«k \^ Ji 8^ ,r , ,.- ^^\ \i ri^^^'^'3. ^^ illYX ,^»dW*» i>ii \;s B . .0, .@ ;R . ' H. . id\-\i^ I. ThaltheChriftian^^digiouistrue^- :■ :^-:'^.87 IL \Tbe Proof that there was fuch a Per Jon as Jefus, ^{.:, \^ v.^/-:/ ^ \:.-i u>/^:::"."^ :J-. x^"- ^ ^ .^- ' • ibid. t : That he died an- ig'ho^injfHo'kS' Death;: - - ^ ^^ 88 III. And yet after ~his J^ia^th, 'was wcrfhipped by ^.wtfeMmy ■' /.r;^i;- :. ■ ^^ .; .^^ . 89 ly. The Caufe of which, could be no other ^ but thofe ■X:\Mirccles which wer^d'oke by him, .90 %:» . Which Miracles cannot he afcribed to any mtural or diabolical Rower, but muft be from God, 9 1 VI. The Refurre^ion pj ChriJi proved Jrom credible T'ejlimony, \ -■- ^' ^' \ 94 VII. The Obje^ion dra'xnfrom the feeming ImpoJJibi- - V/>j oj d Rejurre^io^y i^jjwered^ /• \ j 98 ,^fhe "Truth ojjejus's Dotlrine proved Jromhis Re- ^'^\v\\Jurrectibn, . lOO ^ii\, Jbat tbeChrifhi^ Religion exceeds (ill others, ;'- ; ibid. XXv The Excelk'/icy oJ the Rewards propojed^ i o i Xf The C O N T E N T §. Sect. Page X. A Solution of the OhjeHion^ taken from hence.^ that theBo4ies after their Diffolution cannot be rcr Jioredy i05 XI. The exceeding Purity of Us Precepts.^ Sffitbre- fpe5f to the Worfhip ofQody ;.;>: Wi>. .JLp$ XII. Concerning thofe Duties of Humanity], which we owe to qiir Neighbgjit^ $iQHgb h^ has injured XIII. About the Conjun^ion of Male and Fim^Z XIV. About theVfe of temporal Good^^ <^^ .ViSSo XV. Concerning Oathsy .123 %V\, Concerning other A^fionSy ibid: XVII. An Anfwer to the Obje^ion^ drawnfromthe many Controverfies among Chriftians^ 124 XVIII. The Excellency of ^ the Chriftian Religion^ further proved from the Excellency of its Teacher^ 125 X^From the wonderful Propagation af'thfsMeli^lony .biConJidering the Weaknefs and Simplicity of thofe 88 who taught it in thefirft Age^ .V ^a :;^>^r34 XIX. And the great Impediments that hindered Men from embracing it^ or deterred them from prof effing '0,.An Anfwer to thofe who require more andfironger 4.^ ^ O O K nt,K^^mxVov I. Of the Authority of the B^h ofltMe Ne\tr It^a- - ment, . - *. -• ■ -^'l ^^'^ vv" V-^ ^ -^ ^ •• ^' -142 II. The Books that have any Names affixed to\ them , were written by thofe Perfons whofe Names they ^•^ iear^ 143 I o I \i\^<^^^\ xVm'>M^Sl %^\ ^ v>:^^\H^rs";^ ^'-r/ HI. The ■ e &N TEN T S. Sect. Page III. "Tbe Doubt of thoje Books that were formerly doubtful^ taken avjay^ ''144 IV. ^he Authority of thofe Books which have no Name to them, evident from the Nature of the ''Writings^ 14^ V. "fhatthefe Authors wrote what was true^ becaufe '4hey knew the things they wrote about ^ 146 ^ Vi. Anct becaufe they would not fay what wasfalfe^ ' VII. 'The Credibility of thefe Writers further con- firmed^ from their being famous for Miracles^ 149 VliL And' 'if their Writings \ becaufe in them are contained marv things which the Event proved to ve divirny revealeciy • 151 IX. And alfofrom the Care that it was fit God^j fhoxi'd take ^' that faife Writings fhould not be' forged^ . ibid. X. A Solution of that Obje^ion:, that many Books were reje^led by fopie^ . i^z Xf. An Anfw'er to the Obje^ion^ of fome things be- %g contained _ in thefe Books ^ that a^iinipoffible^ XIL Or difdgreeable to R'eafdn, 156 . Xill^ An Anfwer to this ObjeSiion^ that fome things<^ are contained in thefe Books which are inconfifienV'^ with one andtherf" "^"^^'-^ ^'"^^ ^^X^^ XFV. An Anfwer to the. Objection from extefmlTe- . ftimonies *, where it is'Jhewn they make more for"' thefe Books, -^ .^^^^^^^,a6o.- XV. An Anfwiftoihe Obj0ipn of t0J^fipiur^ being alter edy "■■■-"'^ ....,.*..., ^^^ XVI. 'A \^^r\sC 233 XIII. AProof againft the Jews taken from their own ^Confeffton of tkc,JHm^:^mr^KlP^^mfipping many Godsr,\i3 ^-^ t\ ■^^vif\i^V, -k 253^ XXlh^AndJhat human N^um(s^y^if^i^^ ■ themy.- , , ... . ^ . ^^ ,,.;v ./ .^ ra^u; J ' '2^^ XXIII* TheConcluJion of this\ Party, witk^-^r^yer -Q'\a ^:^ \'\si^ •^j;^5i isi'^ •vtkd^m fd^-t^3. i\^ '.^'A'^ ^\ ^V\si\j>. ^^vT'^::^ T><^"j? t\%\AfST. 7Vv\-- \ »■'.'? V '3^2 ' 11, 'Nothing can be If "^f eater Moment tian Religion ; ;' - and therefore we ought tq^ ufe our utpidl E/ideavours > to'cohie at the true Kiicvj ledge ofHty V^/ "; 324 "^lll. Th(^ an Indifference in Religion^ is' Tn its own "^^ ^f; Ntmnh unlaw fuU fcrhidden hy the Laws of God ^ ^"' ^^nd condemned hy all S'e^s of Chriftians ^ ' ^26 IV. The C O N T E N T S. Sect. Page. IV. We ought not hafttly to condemn thofe who differ from uSy as if they were guilty of fuch a Crime, or fuch an unlawful fVorfhip^ as is incon- fiflent with eternal Life \ fo that none who admit fuch PerfonSy fhould he capable of the Mercy of God ; nor yet^ on the other Hand^ is it lawful for us to profefs that we believe^ what we do not really believe y or to do what at the fame time we condemn^ 332 V. A Man that commits a Sin by Miftake^ may be accepted of Gody but a Hypocrite cannot ^ 336 Teftimonies concerning Hugo Grotius V Affection for the Church of England , o^'^Z T O To the Honourable Hieronymus Prignonius^ His Majesty's Soilicitor IN THE CHIEF COURT o^PARIS. B O O K I. Sed. I. ^he Occqfion of this Worh YOU have frequently enquired of me, wor- thy Sir, (whom I know to be a Gentle- man that highly deferves the Efteem of your Country, of the learned World, and, if you will allow me to fay it, of myfelf alfo ;) what the Subftance of thofe Books is, which I wrote in Defence of the Chriftian Religion, in my own Language. Nor do I wonder at your Enquiry ; For you, who have with fo great Judgment read every thing that is worth reading, cannot but be fenfible with how much Philofophick Nice- ty (a) Ramundus Sebundus^ with what entertain- B ing [a) R^emunJusSehundusM ] Time ; but fmce then, a great Thefe were the chief Writers Number have wrote concerning upon this Subje^ in Grotius'^ th.- : ruth of the Chriftian Re- ligioQ, 2 Of the Truth of Book I. ing Dialogues Ludovicus Vives^ and with how great Eloquence your Morn^us^ have illuftrated this Matter. For which Reafon it might feem more uieful, to tranflate Ibme of them into our own Language, than to undertake any thing new upon this Subject. But though I know not what Judgment others will pafs upon rne, yet have I very good Reafon to hope that you, who are fo fair and candid a Judge, will eafily acquit me, if I lliould fay ; that after having read not only the fore- mentioned Writings, but alfo thofe that have been written by the Jews in behalf of the anti- ent Jcwijh Difpenfation, and thofe of Chriftians for ChriiHanity, Ichufe to make ufe of my own Judgment, fuch a^jiilic^isin and to give my Mind that Liberty which at prefent is denied my Bo- dy •, For I am pcrfuaded that Truth is no other way to be defended but by Truth, and ^hat fuch as the Mind is fully fatisfied with j it being in vain to attempt to perfuade others to that which you yourfelf are not convinced of : Wherefore I feleded, both from the Antients and Mo- derns, what appeared to me mod conclufive ; leav- ing fuch Arguments as feeriied of fmall Weight, and rejedling fuch Books as I knew to be fpurious, or had Reafon to fufpe6l to be fo. Thofe which I approved of, I explained and put iii a regular Method, and in as popular a manner as I could, and likewife turned them into Verfe, that they might the eafier be rem em bred. For my De- fign was to undertake fomething which might be ufeful to my Country men, efpecially Seamen; that they might have an Opportunity to employ that Time which in long Voyages lies upon their ^b^ii iLi\t , Flands, liglon. efpecially in Frer^ch and rowed foin him : So that tiie Englijh ; moved thereto by the Glory of f j pious ard necelTa- Eximple of Gro/Zi/j, whom they ryaMethol of Writing, chief- imitated, and fometimes bor- ly redounds to him. he Clerc. Sed:. 2. the Chriftian Religion, j Hands, and is ufually thrown away : Wherefore I began with an Encomium upon our Nation,, which fo far excel Is others in the Skill of Naviga-^* tion ; that by this means I might excite them to make ufe of this Art, as a peculiar Favour of Heaven ; not only to their own Profit, but alfo to the propagating the Chriftian Religion : For they can never want Matter, but in their long Voyages will every where m^et either with Pagans as in China or Guinea •, or Mahometans^ as in the Turkijh and Per/tan Empires, and in the King- doms of Fez and Morocco ; and alfo s^'whjews^ who are the profeiTed Enemies of Chriftianity, and are difperfed over the greateft part of the World •, And there are never wanting prophane Perlbns, who, up- on occafion, are ready to fcatter their Poifonamongft the Weak and Simple, which Fear had forced them to conceal : Againit all which Evils, my Defire was, to have my Countrymen well fortified ; that they who have the beft parts, might employ them in confuting Errors •, and that the Other would take heed of being feduced by them. .uj>.j. , ■ Sed. II. That there is a Godf r^ '» And that we may fhow that ReligiGn is not a vain and empty thing ; it fliall be the Bufinefs of this firft: Book, to lay the Foundation thereof in the Exiftence of the Deity: Which I prove in the following manner. That there are fome Things which had a Beginning, is confelTed on all Sides, and obvious to Senfe : But thefe Things could not be the Caufe of their own Exiftence -, becaufe that which has no Being, cannot ad: ^ for then it would have been before it was^, which is impoftible j whence it follows, that it derived its Being from fomething elfe : This is true not only of tliofe Things which are now before our Eyes, or which we have formerly fepp'; fciu-^'i'^f^ qf //^^ --(B ^aod aamuaiiioi baa ebjj£:<3^t 4 Of the Truth of Book I. out of which thefe have arifen, and fo on, {a) till we arrive at fome Caufe, which never had any Beginning, but exifts (as we fay) ntceflarily, and not by Accident : Now this Being whatsoever it be (of wliom we (liall fpeak more fully by and by) is what we mean by the Deity, or God. Another Argument for the Proof of a Deity, may be drawn from the plain Confent of all Nations, who have any Remains of Reafon, any Senfe of Good Man- ners, and are not wholly degenerated into Brutifh- nefs. For, Human Inventions, which depend upon the arbitrary Will of Men, are not always the fame every where, but are often changed ; whereas there is no Place where this Notion is not to be found; nor has the Courfe of Time been able to alter it, (which is obferved by {b) A- riftotk himfelf, a Man not very credulous in thefe Matters \) wherefore we muft alTign it a Caufe as cxtenfive as all Mankind \ and That can be no (Other than a Declaration from God himfelf, or a 'j^Tradition derived down from the fifll Parents of Mankind: If the former be granted, there needs -no further Proof; if the latter, it is hard to give a good Reafon w^hy our firft Parents fhould deli- ver to. Pofterity a Falfity in a Matter of fo greac -: :jyv---:j:. ,;.,:i O'.. •,. .: .' . ..: Mo- ::d/{aY^£ili aO^ i>-nWl2^^j^^ l-^i'apy/.BQoUKttrJk ;. where, 'iCau/tff ^c.} Kecaufe as their after relating the Fables of the cnarjnein of ipeaking is, there Gods, he i^as thefe Words, "can be no fuch thing as going " Which if any one rightly onfor ever; forof thofeThings ** diftinguiihes, he will keep ^'hich had a Ee^^inning, either •* wholly to this as the princi- ■1 there is fome iirll Caufe, or ■ ** pall'hing ; that to believe i ..theie is none. If it be denied " the Gods to be the firft "/that there is any firll Caufe; ** Beings, is a divine "JVuth : ^^/ihenthbfe Things which had a ** and that tho' Arts and Sci- ^ Beginning, were without a *' ences have probably been Caufe; and confequently exill- ' ♦* often loft, and revived; ed or came oat of nothing of ** yet this Opinion hath been the ml'elycs, which is ablurd. ** prefer.ved as a Reliil to thi$ he Clerc. . *♦ very Time." he CUrc. (b)JnJiatUh'imfeIfM-'] Me- Sedt. 2. the Chrijliah Keligion. 5 Moment. Moreover, if we look into thofe Parts of the World, which have been a long time known, or into thofe lately difcovered •, if they have not loft the common Principles of Human Nature, (as was faid befpre) this Truth immedi- ately appears; as well amongft the more dull Na- tions, as amongft thofe who are quicker, and have better Underftandings •, and, furely, thefe latter cannot all be deceived, nor the former be fup- pofed to have found out fomcthing to impofe up- on each other with : Nor would it be of any force againft this^ if it fhould be urged, that there have been a few Perfons in many Ages who did not believe a God, or at leaft made fuch a ProtelTion ; For confidering how few they were, and that as foon as their Arguments were known, their Opi- nion was immediately exploded ; it is evident, it -did not proceed from the right ufe of that Rea- fon which is common to all Men ; but either frora an AfFedation of Novelty, like the heathen Phi- lofopher who contended that Snow was black ; or from a corrupted Mind, which like a vitiated Pa- late, does not reiilh Things as they are : Efpe- cially fince Hiftory and other Writings inform us, that the more virtuous any one is, the more care- fully is this Notion of the Deity preferved by him : And it is further evident, that they who dilTent from this antiently eftabliflied Opinion, do it put of an ill Principle, and arc fuch Perfons, /whofe Interefi it is t|iat there iliould be no God, that is, no Judge of human Actions ; be- caufe whatever Hypothefes they have advanced of their own, whether an infinite Succeftlon of Caufes, without any Beginning ; or a fortuitous Concourfe of Atoms, or any other, {a) it is attend- B 3 cd {a) It It attended ^xith as faid, and that not faflily,' that |-?Ya/,&:.3 G/-5/;wmighthave there are much grer.tef Diffi- • culties 6 Of the Truth of Book I. cd with as great, if not greater Difficulties, and not at all more credible than what is already recei- ved •, as is evident to any one that confiders it ever fo little. For that which fome obje6l, that they don't believe a God, becaule they don't fee him ; if they can fee any thing, they may fee how tnuch it is beneath a Man, who has a Soul which '•'he cannot fee, to argue in this manner. Nor if ■'we cannot fully comprehend the Nature o^ God^ ought we therefore to deny that there is any fiich Being •, for the Benfts don't know what fort Creatures Men are, and much lefs do they under- ■;ftand how Men, by their Reafon, inftitute and ^v'govern Kingdoms, meafure the Courfe of the ^iStars, and fail crofs the Seas : Thefe Things ex- -^ceed their Reach : *i^hd HtnCt Man, becaufe he is •placed by the Dignity of his Nature above the ^-'^.JBeafis/znd that not by himfelf, ought to infer; 'that He who gave him this Superiority above the "^ ,Beafts, is as far advanced beyond Him, as He is ^^beyond the Beajls -, and that therefore there is a Nature, which, as it is mOre E^^cellent, fo it ex- ceeds his Comprehenfidn. '- Se&. III. That there is but one God, Having proved the Exiflence of the Deity : we come next to his Attributes ; the firft whereof 3S, That there can be no more Gods than One. Which may be gathered from hence ; becaufe (as was before faid) God exills neceflarily, or is felf- •^'^ -''''' exiftent. cultie'^fn\ft^Opiiri"onsofthore, monftrated ; amongft whom is who would have the World to the eminent and learned Dr be eterj^al, or always to have Ralph Cudnvorth, who wrote been: fuch as. that it mud ib.t^ EnglfJhTxQditx^tOf the in- have come out of nothing bri/ ttlle^ual Sj/Iem of the Vni- felf or that it arofe from the 'verfe : There are aifo other fortuitous Concourl'e ofJ/or^u ; very excellent V.nglijh Divines Opinions full of manifeil Con- and Natural Philofophers. Le trad ictions, as many fince Gri?- Clerc, tiui's Time have exadly dc- Seft. 3- ^'^^ Chrijlimi Religion, 1.7 exiftent. Now that which is tiecejfary ox felf-exiji- ent^ cannot be confidered as of any Kind or Species of Beings, but as adtually exifting, {a) and is there- fore a fingle Being : For if you imagine many Gods, you will fee that necejfary Exifterice belongs to none of them •, nor can there be any Reafoii why two fhould rather be believed than three, or ten than five : Befide the Abundance of particular Things of the fame kind, proceeds from the Fruit- fulnefs of the Caufe, in proportion to which more or lefs is produced ; but God has no Caufe, or Original. Further, particular different Things, are endued with peculiar Properties, by which they are diftinguifhed from each other ; which do not belong to God, whp i^ a ppcelTary B.eing. Neither do we find any Signs of many Gods ; for this whole Univerfe makes but one World, in which there is but .(^)P;^^ Thing that far ex- ceeds the reft in Beauty •, viz. the Sun ; ^^d in every Man there is but One fhing that goverps, that ,is, the Mind : Moreover^ iff h^r^ cqulfi. ^be' ,two or more Gods, free Agents, adling according to their own Wills, they iiii^ht njoill cpntrary to- each other; and fo One be hindered by the 0/^^r; from effeding his Defign •, now a Po0ibility of be- ing hindred is inconfiftent with the Notion of , \^) And is therefore a Jingle teU'-exiJlencei \xx^^^ Beings &c.] Bat a great many ' 'fdrce/'may Hnd""it 'at tne bc- fingle Beir/gS; are a great many ginning of Dr ^ani, Glefke% individual Beings ; this Argu- Boyle's Le^ures. ment therefore might have . . \b)One /Thing that^ff^r^ex- been omitLed, without any de- ". ceed^^ &c..] At leall to the.Inhii- triment to ib good a Oiul'e.^ ,l>itant3 of this pur ^o/^r 5^)7/ ^-w Le Clerc. - .. ' , ,;, ji ,fi/^V ^V'^ ^ow term It) ; as t|\ore Whoever woul' ■ ■' hzt%^ \^,^,/indAn an iT^Jimte Jjegreey .:^ T o thi$»i muft bC; addedj that thefe Perfecflions ' are in God, ii^^n., in finite Degree : Becaufe thofe Attributes that are finitCj are therefore limited, be7i caufe the Caufe whe^iCQ they proceed, .has copnmu- nicated fo much, pfn item ^n^i no mpge •, ;0r elfe, becaufe the Subjedl was capable of no more. But, no other Nature communicated any of its Perfec- tions to God.; por does he derive any thing from any One elfe, he being fas wa^faHl).neceifary or ieKr^ifenC: _ ._.,^_ . ^ . ,.: ,V ^lom isHi ai oiwsH io lOn vBm iB^b 3B3ig ft aidJ \0 ■^•.r,. v/^v.- c c> Se£t. 6, 7. the ChHJlian Religion, 9^ Sedl. VI. ^J:fat God is Eternal^ Omnipotent ^ Omni" -. . T ,m| >M fcient^ and compleatly Good, Now feeing it is very evident, that thofe Things which have £//>, are more perfe<5^, than thofe which have not •, and thofe which have a Power of Actings than thofe who have none *, thofe which have Underftanding^ than thofe which want it •, thofe which are good, than thofe which are not fo -, it follows, from what has been already faid, that thefe Attributes belong to God, and that infinitely : Wherefore he is a liviytg infinite God ; that is eternal^ of immenfe Power^ and every way good^ without the lead Defe6b. ■^Sea. VII. "That God ls\the Caufe of all iVnigs. Eve r y Thing that is, derives its Exiflence from God •, this follows from what has been al- ready faid. For we conclude, that there is but One neccfiary felf-exiftent Being -, whence we col- led, that all other Things fprung from a Being different from themfelves : For thofe Things which are derived from fomething clfe, were all of them, either immediately in themfelves, or me- diately in their Caufes, derived from Him who had no Beginning, that is, from God, as was before evinced. And this is not only evident to Reafon, but in a manner to Senfe too : For if we take a Survey of the admirable Structure of a Human Body, both within and without 5 and fee how every, even the moft minute Part, hath its proper ufe, without any Defign or Intention of the Parents, and with fo great Exadnefs, as the moft excellent Philofophers' and Phyficians could never enough admire ; it is a fufficient Demon- ftration that the Author of Nature is the moft (ompleat Underfianding, Of this a great deal may be lo Of the Truth of Book I. be feen in {a) Galen^ efpecially where he examines the Ufe of the Hands and Eyes : And the fame may be obferved in the Bodies of dumb Crea- tures •, for the Figure and Situation of their Parts to a certain End, cannot be the EfFedl of any Power in Matter. As alfo in Plants and Herbs, which is accurately obferved by the Philofophers. Strabo {b) excellently well takes notice hereof in the Pofition of Water, which, as to its Quality, is of a middle Nature betwixt Air and Earth, and ought to have been placed betwixt them, but is there- fore interfperfed and mixed with the Earth, left its Fruitfuinefs, by which the Life of Man is pre- ferved, fhould be hindred. Now it is the Pro- perty of intelligent Beings only to a6{: with fome View. Neither are particular Things appointed for their own peculiar Ends only, but for the Good of the Whole *, as is plain in Water, which {c) contrary to its, own Nature is raifed .upwards, _ , , ,.,,;,..„-. ■ ,, , ..left cli. lo. Which Place is high- ly worth reading, but too long to be inferted. But many later Divines and Natural Phi- fophers in England have ex- plained thefe Things more ac- curately. Ls Clerc. [h) Straho, Sec ]'Book XVII. Where afcer he - had diilin- guifhed betwixt the Works of Nature, that is, the material World and tho(e of Pro^vidcnce, he adds ; '^ After the Earth ** Wasfurrounded with Water, *• becaafe iVIan was not made ' ** to dwell in the Water, but •* belongs partly to the Earth, '" and partly to the Air. and **ftands in great need of light ; " (Providence) has caufed ma- *' ny Eminences and Cavities *' in the Earth, that in tiiefc. f' tlie iV^ater^ or ..the, grgateil '* Wrt of it, might be receiv- " ed ; whereby that parr of •* the Earth under it might be *' covered,; and t.hat by the *' other, the Earth might , be *' advanced to cpvcr the Wa- '* ter, except what is of Ufe *' for Men, Animals, and /* Plants." /¥he fame kath been obferved by Rabbi, Je- buda Lenjita^ and Abenejdrny amongft the Jeutjs, and St Chryfofiom in his qth Homily of Statues, among. Chrifljans. (f) Contrary to its own Na- ture, Sec ] This was borrowed from the Peripatetick Philofo- phy, by this great Man ; which luppofed the Water in a Pump .to afcend for fear of a Vacuum ; wher«is it is now granted by all, to be done by the Seft. 7. the Chrijiian Religion. 1 1 ieft by a Vacuum there fhould be a Gap in the Strudure of the Univerle, which is uphdd by the continued Union of its Parts. Now the Good of the ¥/hole could not polTibly be defigned, nor a Power pur into Things to tend towards it, but by an inteUigent Being, to whom the Univerfe is fubje(51:. There are moreover fome Adlions, even of the Beads, fo ordered and direded, as plainly difcover them to be the Effc6ts of fome fmall degree of Reafon : As is moft manifeft in Ants and Bees, and alfo in fome others, which, before they have experienced them, will avoid Things hurtful, and feek thofe that are pro- fitable to them. That this Power of fearching out and diftinguiftiing, is not properly in them- felves, is apparent from hence, becaufe they a6b always alike, and are unable to do other Things which don't require more Pains ; [a) wherefore ; they are aded upon by fome foreign Reafon -, and "what they do, muft of neceflity proceed from the Efficiency of that Reafon imprelTed upon them : Which Reafon is no other than what we call God. Next, the Preflure of the Air. But by the Laws of Gravitation, as the Moderns explain them, the Order of the Univerfe, and the Wifdom of its Creator, is no lefs confpicuous Le Clerc. [a] Wherefore they are aSled upon, &c ] No, they are done by the Soul of thofe Bealls, •whi'ch is fo far reafonable, as to be able to do fuch Things, and not others. Otherwife God himfelf, would a(5l in them inftead of a Soul, which a good Philofopherwill hardly be perfuaded of. Nothing hinders but that there may be a great many Ranks of fenfi- ble and intelligent Natures, the lowefl of which may be in the Bodies of Brute Creatures ; for no Body I think, really be- lieves with Ren. Cartes, that Brutes are mere corporeal Ma- chines. But you will fay, when Brute Creatures die, what becomes of their Souls ? That indeed I know not, but it is neverthelcfs true that Souls refide in them. There is no neceflity that we ftiould know all Things, nor are we therefore prefently to deny any thing, becaufe we cannot give account of it. We are to re- ceive thofe Things that are e- vident, and be content to be ignorant of thofe Things S^hich we cannot know. Ls }k 1 2 Of the Truth of . Book I. Next the Heavenly Conflellations, but more efpe-. cially.thofe eminent ones, the Sun and Moon, have their Courfes fo exactly accommodated to the Fruit- fulnefs of the Earth, and to the Health of Ani- mals, that nothing can be imagined more conve- nient : For though otherwife, the mod fimple Mo- tion had been along the Equator, yet are they direded in an oblique Circle, that the Benefit of them might extend to more Places of the Earth. And as othe;* Animals are allowed the Ufe of the Earth •, fo Mankind are permitted to ufe thofc Ani- mals, and can by the Power of his Reafon tame the fierceft of them. Whence it was that the {a) Sto- icks concluded that the World was made for the Sake of Man. But fince the Power of Man does not extend fo far as to compel the Heavenly Lu- minaries to ferve Him, nor is it likely they fhould of their own accord fubmit themfelves to him \ hence it follows, that there is a fuperior Underftand- ing^ at whofe Command thofe beautiful Bodies af- ford their perpetual AlTiflance to Man, who is pla- ced fo far beneath them : Which Underftanding is none other than the Maker of the Stars and of the Univerfe. {b) The Eccentrick Motions of the Stars, and the Epicycles, as they term them, ma- nifeftly fhow, that they are not the Effeds of Matter, ' {a)The^:toickscrj}icluded,Scz.^ the Efficacy of tTic .Divine S*e TuUy in hh firll Book ot Powtr, is equally Teen in the Offices, p.nd his fecOnd of'tke 'cpnf^ant Modpn of the Planets Nature of the Gods. '•'•:-'^- "''JJi Eilipfes, about the Sun [b) The Eccenf rick Motion, thVotigh the moft fluid Vor- ^c ] This Argument is leatn- tex ; in fuch a manner as not cdly handled by Maimonides, to recede from, or approach jn his DuSlor DuhitarJium, to their Centre, more than Part 11 c. 4- And if you 'their wonted Limits, but al- fjppofe die Earth to be moved, ways cut the Sun's Equator at 't amounts to the fame thing liUe Obliquity: Le Clerc. Sir in orher Words. . Ifanc Nezvton has demonllrat- Ibid. Thefe and fome of the ed chnt there are no fuch For- following Things are accord- trxesy but that their Motions ir>g to the vulgar Opinion, are better explained vviiliQiiC wiiich ib now exploded j but them. \ St&. ^.' the Chriftian Religion. 7 7^ Matter, but the Appointment of a free Agent ; and the fame AlTurance we have from the Pofition of the Stars, fome in one Part of the Heavens, and fome in another ; and from the unequal Form of the Earth. and Seas : Nor can we attribute the Mo- tion of the Stars, in fuch a Diredlion, rather than another, to any thing elfe. The very Jhigure of the World, which is the moft perfect, viz. round, and all the Parts of it inclofed, as it were, in the Bo- fom of the Heavens, and placed in wonderful Or- der, fufliciently declare, that thefe Things were not the Refult of Chance, but the Appointment of the moft excellent Underftanding: For can any one be fo foolilh, as to exped: any thing fo accurate from Chance ? He may as foon believe, that pieces of Timber, and Stones, ihould frame themfeives into a Houfe; {a) or that from Letters thrown at a ven- ture, there fhould arifc a Poem ; when the Philofo* pher, who faw only fome Geometrical Figures on the Sea- (ho re, thought them plain Indications of a Man's having been there, fuch Things not looking as if they proceeded from Chance. Befides, that Mankind were not from Eternity, but date their Original from a certain Period of Time, is clear, as from ©ther- Arguments, foiiioffi'i^iei^lnnpravemenc {a) Into a Houfe, Sec ] or And a little after', T/je World Ship, or Engine. nmnifejiiy irr.pco-Jes every Da\\ * The Impro'vement of ArtSy. and groavs nvifer than if ivas, &c.] Tertuiiian treats of this Thefe two Arguments caufed Matter, from Hiftory, in Jiis Jlrifiotle\ Opinion, (who Book concerning the Soul, Sed. .\vo,utd not allow Mankind any 30. IFe fnd [{d.ys he) in ifU Beginning) to be rejeded b>' -.Commentaries, efpeciuliy of the the, learned Hiitorian?, efpe- Antiquitiei of Mertythat Man- cially the Epicureans. La-- kind increafe by Degrees, &C. cretlus, Book V. If Heauen and Earth had no Original^ ' Ho^v is it, that before the "^rrojati If ar. No Poets Jung of Memorable ''Ihings ; But Deeds of Hero'' s dydfo oft nxiith them ; And no 'where. Monuments rats'' d to their Praife ? %his fhews the World is young and lateiy madt* ' ' Wbena 14 Of tk Truth of Book L of Arts, and thofe defart Places, which came af- terwards Whence Wis that Arts are e'very Day encreas'd^ * » Orfrejh reneived i and Ships fo much mpro