Grotius’s The Truth of the Christian Religion was first published in Leiden in 1627 in Latin. Written in a plain and direct language for his countrymen, this short work aimed to show those who would encounter pagans, Muslims, and Jews that the Christian religion was the true revealed religion. In addition to “fortifying†the beliefs of his fellow Christians, the treatise intended to convince non-Christians of “the reasonableness of believing and embracing the Christian Religion above any other.â€Editor Maria Rosa Antognazza suggests that “Grotius claimed the superiority of Christian doctrine and morality and their perfect conformity with the teaching of the most enlightened reason, and at the same time he advocated tolerance for all positive religions. . . . Grotius rejected the use of any kind of violence, proclaiming that ‘the weapons appointed for the soldiers of Christ are . . . proper to the Spirit.’. . . Moreover, in an era of bloody and violent confrontations amongst the different Christian confessions, Grotius raised a forceful appeal ‘to mutual agreement.’ All Christians should remember that they ‘were baptized into the same Name,’ that of Jesus Christ, and that ‘therefore there ought to be no Sects or Divisions amongst them.’ â€Hugo Grotius is one of the most important thinkers in the early-modern period. A great humanistic polymath—lawyer and legal theorist, diplomat and political philosopher, ecumenical activist and theologian—his work was seminal for modern natural law and influenced the moral, political, legal, and theological thought of the Enlightenment, from Hobbes, Pufendorf, and Locke to Rousseau and Kant, as well as America’s Founding leaders.
Jean Le Clerc (1657–1736), a Genevan by birth, was a philosophical and theological scholar and, through his editorship of leading journals, a key figure in the republic of letters.
Maria Rosa Antognazza is a Lecturer in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies, King’s College London.
John Clarke (bap. 1687, d. 1734) was a schoolmaster at Hull, an educational reformer, and a translator.
Knud Haakonssen is Professor of Intellectual History and Director of the Centre for Intellectual History at the University of Sussex, England. Introduction ix A Note on the Text xxi Acknowledgments xxiii The Truth of the Christian Religion, with Jean Le Clerc’s Notes and Additions 3 Book I. I. The Occasion of this Work, 29 II. That there is a God, 31 III. That there is but one God, 33 IV. All Perfection is in God, 34 V. And in an infinite Degree, 34 VI. That God is Eternal, Omnipotent, Omniscient, and compleatly Good, 35 VII. That God is the Cause of all things, 35 VIII. The Objection, concerning the Cause of Evil, answered, 41 IX. Against two Principles, 41 X. That God governs the Universe, 42 XI. And the Affairs of this lower World, 42 And the Particulars in it, 43 XII. This is further proved by the Preservation of Empires, 43 XIII. And by Miracles, 44 XIV. But more especially amongst the Jews, who ought to be credited upon the Account of the long Continuance of their Religion, 45 XV. From the Truth and Antiquity of Moses, 47 XVI. From foreign Testimonies, 49 XVII. The same proved also from Predictions, 83 And by other Arguments, 85 XVIII. The Objections of Miracles not being seen now, answered, 86 XIX. And of there being so much Wickedness, 87 XX. And that so great, as to oppress good Men, 88 XXI. This may be turned upon them, so as to prove that Souls survive Bodies, 88 XXII. Which is confirmed by Tradition, 89 XXIII. And no way repugnant to Reason, 91 XXIV. But many things favour it, 94 XXV. From whence it follows that the End of Man is Happiness after this Life, 95 XXVI. Which we must secure, by finding out the true Religion, 95 BOOK II. I. That the Christian Religion is true, 97 II. The Proof that there was such a Person as Jesus, 97 That he died an ignominious Death, 98 III. And yet, after his Death, was worshipped by wise Men, 99 IV. The Cause of which, could be no other, but those Miracles which were done by him, 99 V. Which Miracles cannot be ascribed to any natural or diabolical Power, but must be from God, 100 VI. The Resurrection of Christ proved from credible Testimony, 102 VII. The Objection drawn from the seeming Impossibility of a Resurrection, answered, 105 The Truth of Jesus’s Doctrine proved from his Resurrection, 107 VIII. That the Christian Religion exceeds all others, 107 IX. The Excellency of the Reward proposed, 108 X. A Solution of the Objection, taken from hence, that the Bodies after their Dissolution cannot be restored, 110 XI. The exceeding Purity of its Precepts; with respect to the Worship of God, 113 XII. Concerning those Duties of Humanity, which we owe to our Neighbour, though he has injured us, 116 XIII. About the Conjunction of Male and Female, 119 XIV. About the Use of temporal Goods, 122 XV. Concerning Oaths, 124 XVI. Concerning other Actions, 124 XVII. An Answer to the Objection, drawn from the many Controversies among Christians, 125 XVIII. The Excellency of the Christian Religion, further proved from the Excellency of its Teacher, 126 From the wonderful Propagation of this Religion, 129 Considering the Weakness and Simplicity of those taught it in the first Age, 132 XIX. And the great Impediments that hindered Men from embracing it, or deterred them from professing it, 133 An Answer to those who require more and stronger Arguments, 135 BOOK III. I. Of the Authority of the Books of the New Testament, 139 II. The Books that have any Names affixed to them, were writ by those Persons whose Names they bear, 140 III. The Doubt of those Books that were formerly doubtful, taken away, 141 IV. The Authority of those Books which have no Name to them, evident from the Nature of the Writings, 141 V. That these Authors wrote what was true, because they knew the things they wrote about, 142 VI. And because they would not say what was false, 144 VII. The Credibility of these Writers further confirmed, from their being famous for Miracles, 145 VIII. And of their Writings; because in them are contained many things which the Event proved to be divinely revealed, 146 IX. And also from the Care that it was fit God should take, that false Writings should not be forged, 147 X. A Solution of that Objection, that many Books were rejected by some, 147 XI. An Answer to the Objection, of some things being contained in these Books, that are impossible, 150 XII. Or disagreeable to Reason, 150 XIII. An Answer to this Objection, that some things are contained in these Books which are inconsistent with one another, 152 XIV. An Answer to the Objection from external Testimonies; where it is shewn they make more for these Books, 153 XV. An Answer to the Objection of the Scriptures being altered, 154 XVI. The Authority of the Books of the Old Testament, 157 BOOK IV. I. A particular Confutation of the Religions that differ from Christianity, 167 II. And first of Paganism. That there is but One God. That created Beings are either good or bad. That the Good are not to be worshipped without the Command of the Supreme God. 167 III. A Proof that evil Spirits were worshipped by the Heathen, and the Unworthiness of it shown, 169 IV. Against the Heathen Worship paid to departed Men, 171 V. Against the Worship given to the Stars and Elements, 172 VI. Against the Worship given to Brute Creatures, 172 VII. Against the Worship given to those Things that have no real Existence, 174 VIII. An Answer to the Objection of the Heathen, taken from the Miracles done amongst them, 175 IX. And from Oracles, 178 X. The Heathen Religion rejected, because it failed of its own accord, as soon as humane Assistance was wanting, 181 XI. An Answer to this, that the Rise and Decay of Religion is owing to the Stars, 182 XII. The principal Things of the Christian Religion, were approved of by the wisest Heathens; and if there be any Thing in it hard to be believed, the like is to be found amongst the Heathens, 184 BOOK V. I. A Confutation of Judaism, beginning with an Address to the Jews, 189 II. That the Jews ought to look upon the Miracles of Christ as sufficiently attested, 190 III. An Answer to the Objection, that those Miracles were done by the Help of Devils, 191 IV. Or by the Power of Words, 192 V. That the Miracles of Jesus were divine, proved from hence, because he taught the Worship of one God, the Maker of the World, 192 VI. An Answer to the Objection drawn from the Difference betwixt the Law of Moses, and the Law of Christ; where it is shown, that there might be given a more perfect Law than that of Moses, 193 VII. The Law of Moses was observed by Jesus when on Earth, neither was any Part of it abolished afterwards, but only those Precepts which had no intrinsick Goodness in them, 195 VIII. As Sacrifices, which were never acceptable to God upon their own Account, 198 IX. And the Difference of Meats, 202 X. And of Days, 205 XI. And external Circumcision, 207 XII. And yet the Apostles of Jesus easily allowed of these Things, 208 XIII. A Proof against the Jews taken from their own Confession of the extraordinary Promise of the Messiah, 209 XIV. That he is already come, appears from the Time foretold, 209 XV. (With an Answer to what is alledged, that his Coming was deferred upon the Account of the Sins of the People) 212 XVI. Also from the present State of the Jews, compared with the Promises of the Law, 213 XVII. Jesus proved to be the Messiah, from those Things that were predicted of the Messiah. 215 XVIII. An Answer to what is alleged, that some Things were not fulfilled, 217 XIX. And to that which is objected of the low Condition and Death of Jesus, 219 XX. And as though they were good Men who delivered him to Death, 222 XXI. An Answer to the Objection of the Christians worshipping many Gods, 225 XXII. And that humane Nature is worshipped by them, 227 XXIII. The Conclusion of this Part, with a Prayer for the Jews. 229 BOOK VI. I. A Confutation of Mahometanism; the Original thereof, 231 II. The Mahometans Foundation overturned, in that they do not examine into Religion, 234 III. A Proof against the Mahometans, taken out of the sacred Books of the Hebrews and Christians; and that they are not corrupted, 235 IV. From comparing Mahomet with Christ, 237 V. And the Works of each of them, 237 VI. And of those who first embraced each of these Religions, 238 vii. And of the Methods by which each Law was propagated, 239 VIII. And of their Precepts compared with one another, 240 IX. A Solution of the Mahometans Objection, concerning the Son of God, 241 X. There are many absurd Things in the Mahometan Books, 242 XI. The Conclusion to the Christians; who are admonished of their Duty upon Occasion of the foregoing Things, 243 The Contents of Mr. Le Clerc’s two Books. BOOK I. I. We must enquire amongst what Christians the true Doctrine of Christ flourisheth most at this Time, 251 II. We are to join ourselves with those who are most worthy the Name of Christians, 254 III. They are most worthy the Name of Christians, who in the purest Manner of all, profess the Doctrine, the Truth of which hath been proved by Grotius, 256 IV. Concerning the Agreement and Disagreement of Christians, 257 V. Whence every one ought to learn the Knowledge of the Christian Religion, 260 VI. Nothing else ought to be imposed upon Christians, but what they can gather from the New Testament, 262 VII. The Providence of God in preserving the Christian Doctrine, is very wonderful, 264 VIII. An Answer to that Question, why God permits Differences and Errors to arise amongst Christians, 265 IX. They profess and teach the Christian Doctrine in the purest manner of all, who propose those Things only as necessary to be believed, practised, or hoped for, which Christians are agreed in. 268 X. All prudent Persons ought to partake of the Sacrament, with those who require nothing else of Christians, but what every one finds in the Books of the New Testament, 269 XI. Concerning Church Government, 271 XII. The antient Church Government was highly esteemed by Grotius, without condemning others, 273 XIII. An Exhortation to all Christians who differ from each other, not to require of one another any Points of Doctrine, but such as every one finds in the New Testament, and have always been believed, 274 BOOK II. I. That we ought to have a Love for Truth, in all things, but more especially in such as are of great Moment, 277 II. Nothing can be of greater Moment than Religion; and therefore we ought to use our utmost Endeavours to come at the true Knowledge of it, 278 III. That an Indifference in Religion, is in its own Nature unlawful, forbidden by the Laws of God, and condemned by all Sects of Christians, 280 IV. We ought not hastily to condemn those who differ from us, as if they were guilty of such a Crime, or such an unlawful Worship, as is inconsistent with eternal Life; so that none who admit such Persons, should be capable of the Mercy of God; nor yet on the other Hand, is it lawful for us to profess that we believe, what we do not really believe, or to do what at the same time we condemn. 284 Sect. V. A Man that commits a Sin by Mistake, may be accepted of God, but a Hypocrite cannot, 287 Testimonies concerning Hugo Grotius’s Affection for the Church of England, 289 Authors and Works Cited by Grotius and Le Clerc 299 Index 333 1. The page numbers given in the Contents are those from the present Liberty Fund edition. The original page numbers appear in the angle brackets.
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