HUGO GROTIUS.
Corrected and Illustrated with NOTES,
By Mr. LE CLERC.
To which is added, a SEVENTH BOOK,
Concerning this QUESTION,
What Christian Church we ought to join ourselves to. By the said Mr. LE CLERC.
The FOURTH EDITION, with ADDITIONS:
Particularly one whole BOOK of Mr. LE CLERC’s, Against Indifference of what Religion a Man is of.
Done into English by JOHN CLARKE, D.D. Dean of SARUM.
LONDON:
Printed for JOHN and PAUL KNAPTON, at the Crown in Ludgate-Street.
MDCCXLIII.
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TO THE
Most Reverend Prelate
THOMAS,1
Lord Archbishop of Canterbury,
Primate of all England, and Metropolitan, and Privy-Counsellor to her most Serene Majesty the Queen of Great-Britain.2
Upon the Reprinting this excellent Piece of that great Man Hugo Grotius, concerning the Truth of the Christian Religion; whereunto I thought fit to add something of my own, and also some Testimonies, from which the good Opinion he had of the Church of England, is evident; there was no other Person, most Reverend Prelate, to whom I thought it so proper for me to Dedicate this Edition, with the Additions, as the Primate and Metropolitan of the whole Church of England. I therefore present it to you, as worthy your Protection upon its own Account, and as an Instance of my Respect and Duty towards you. I will not attempt here, either to praise or defend Grotius; his own Virtue and distinguishing 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
