X. 3.
Reading edition
X. 3.
De Veritate Religionis Christianæ.
CHAP. X. 1621-1634.
Grotius, while a prisoner in the Castle of Louvestein, had written, in the Dutch language, "A treatise on the Truth of the Christian Religion." He afterwards enlarged it, and translated it, so enlarged, into Latin. It was universally read and admired. French, German, English, modern Greek, Persic, and even Turkish versions of it have been made: it was equally approved by Catholics and Protestants.
De Veritate Religionis Christianæ.
It was invidiously objected, that he did not attempt to prove, or even mention, the Trinity, and some other gospel mysteries: he replied, satisfactorily in our opinion, that a discussion of any particular tenet of the Christian religion did not fall within the scope of his work. In this respect, he was afterwards imitated by Abadie and Houteville, two of the most eminent apologists of Christianity. The latter expresses himself of the work of Grotius in the following terms:
"Grotius's work is the first, in which we find the characteristics of just reasoning, accuracy, and strength: he is extremely concise; but even this brevity will please us, when we find his work comprehends so many things, without confounding them or lessening their evidence or force. It is no wonder that the book should be translated into so many languages."
The best edition of it is that published by Le Clerc,[036] in 1709 at Amsterdam, in 8vo. To this edition, Le Clerc has added a curious dissertation on religious indifference. He presumes that the supposed indifference is persuaded of the authenticity of the New Testament:-He then (says Le Clerc) must ascertain,-
1. Which are the denominations of religionists which avow their belief of it:
2. Which of these are most worthy of the name of Christians:
3. And which profess the Christian religion in most purity and with least extraneous alloy:
4. He will find, that all Christians agree in the fundamental articles of faith:
5. That all these articles are clearly expressed in the New Testament:
6. That no tenet should be believed to be of faith, unless the New Testament contains it.
7. That the providence of God is admirable in the preservation of these tenets, amidst the confused multitude of religious opinions, which have prevailed in the world:
8. That this confusion was foreseen by God:
9. That he permitted it as a consequence of his gift of free-will to man:
10. That the inquirer should aggregate himself to that religious communion, which receives the New Testament as its only rule of faith, and does not persecute others:
11. That episcopacy without tyranny is the most antient form of ecclesiastical government, and most to be desired; but that it is not essential to a Christian church:
12. That these were the opinions of Grotius:
13. Finally, that it is greatly to be desired that a belief of no dogma, not explicitly propounded in the New Testament, should be required.
Such is the religious system propounded by Le Clerc.-Does any religious communion really profess it?-Many Protestant churches declare, that the Bible, and the Bible only, contains their creed: but, do they not all mean by this-the Bible, as it is explained by the Articles, the Formulary, or the Confession received by their church?