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13 the Translator’s Preface to the Christian READER. The general Acceptation this Piece of Grotius has met with in the World, encouraged this Translation of it, together with the Notes; which, being a Collection of Antient Testimonies, upon whose Authority and Truth the Genuineness of the Books of Holy Scripture depends, are very useful in order to the convincing any one of the Truth of the Christian Religion. These Notes are for the most Part Grotius’s own, except some few of Mr. Le Clerc’s, which I have therefore translated also, because I have followed his Edition, as the most Correct. The Design of the Book, is to show the Reasonableness of believing and embracing the Christian Religion above any other; which our Author does, by laying before us all the Evidence, that can be brought, both Internal and External, and declaring the Sufficiency of it; by enumerating all the Marks of Genuineness in any Books, and applying them to the Sacred Writings; and by making appear the Deficiency of all other Institutions of Religion, whether Pagan, Jewish, or Mahometan. So that the Substance of the whole is briefly this; that as certain as is the Truth of Natural Principles, and that the Mind can judge of what is agreeable to them; as certain as is the Evidence of Mens Bodily Senses in the most plain and obvious Matters of Fact; and as certainly as Mens Integrity and Sincerity may be discovered, and their Accounts delivered down to Posterity faithfully; so certain are we of the Truth of the Christian Religion; and that if it be not true, there is no such Thing as true Religion in the 14 the truth of the chr isti an r eligion World, neither was there ever or can there ever be any Revelation proved to be from Heaven. This is the Author’s Design to prove the Truth of the Christian Religion in general, against Atheists, Deists, Jews, or Mahometans; and he does not enter into any of the Disputes which Christians have among themselves , but confines himself wholly to the other. Now as the State of Christianity at present is, were a Heathen or Mahometan convinc’d of the Truth of the Christian Religion in general, he would yet be exceedingly at a Loss to know what Society of Christians to join himself with; so miserably divided are they amongst themselves, and separated into so many Sects and Parties, which differ almost as widely from each other as Heathens from Christians, and who are so zealous and contentious for their own particular Opinions, and bear so much Hatred and ill Will towards those that differ from them, that there is very little of the true Spirit of Charity, which is the Bond of Peace, to be found amongst any of them: This is a very great Scandal to the Professors of Christianity, and has been exceedingly disserviceable to the Christian Religion; insomuch that great Numbers have been hindered from embracing the Gospel, and many tempted to cast it off, because they saw the Professors of it in general agree so little amongst themselves: This Consideration induced Mr. Le Clerc to add a Seventh Book to those of Grotius; wherein he treats of this Matter, and shows what it becomes every honest Man to do in such a Case; And I have translated it for the same Reason. All that I shall here add, shall be only briefly to enquire into the Cause of so much Division in the Church of Christ, and to show what seems to me the only Remedy to heal it. First, to examine into the Cause, why the Church of Christ is so much divided: A Man needs but a little Knowledge of the State of the Christian Church, to see that there is just Reason for the same Complaint St. Paul made in the primitive Times of the Church of Corinth; that some were for Paul, some for Apollos, and some for Cephas; so very early did the Spirit of Faction creep into the Church of God, and disturb the Peace of it, by setting its Members at Variance with each other, who ought to have been all of the same common Faith, into which they were baptized; and I wish it could not be said that the same Spirit has too much remained amongst Christians ever since. It is evident that the Foundation of the Divisions in the [3.141.31.240] Project MUSE...

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