The truth of Christian religion in six books / written in Latine by Hugo Grotius ; and now translated into English, with the addition of a seventh book, by Symon Patrick ...

To the Honourable Hieronymus Bignonius, The KING'S Advocate in the Supreme Court of PARIS.

Sir,

YOU are wont very often to ask me, who am sensible how highly you have deserved of your Country, of learning, and (if you will permit me to add that) of me also; what the Ar∣gument of those Books is, which I wrote in my own Country Language, in the be∣half of Christian Religion. Nor do I wonder you should make such a question; for you who have read, and that with so great judgment, all that is worth the reading; cannot be ignorant, what pains hath been already taken in this matter: by Raymundus Sebundus, with Phi∣losophical subtilty; by Ludovicus Vi∣ces, with variety of Dialogues; but e∣specially

by your Mornay, with no less Learning than Eloquence. For which cause it may seem more profitable to tran∣slate some of them, into the vulgar Tongue; than to begin a new Work upon this subject.

But what other men will judg of this matter I know not; my hope is that be∣fore you, Sir, who are so fair and easie a Judge, I may be absolved, if I say; that having read not only those Authors, but what the Jews have written for the old Judaical, and Christians for our Re∣ligion; I thought good also to use my own judgment, such as it is, and to allow that freedom to my mind, which, when I wrote it, was denied to my body. For I thought that Truth was not to be con∣tended for, but only with truth; and with such truth also as I approved in my own mind: knowing it would be but a vain labour to go about to perswade others of that, which I had not first perswaded my self to believe.

Omitting therefore such arguments, as seem'd to me to have little weight in

them; and the authority of such Books, as I either knew or suspected to be coun∣terfeit; I selected those, both out of the ancient and modern times, which appear∣ed to me to have the greatest force in them. And what things I fully assented unto, those I both cast into an orderly me∣thod, and expressed in as popular a man∣ner as I could invent; and likewise in∣cluded in verse, that they might be the better committed to memory.

For my intention was to do some good service hereby to all my Country-men; especially to sea-faring men: that in their long Voyages, wherein they have nothing to do, they might lay out their time and imploy it; rather than, as too many do, lose and mispend it.

Wherefore, taking my rise from the commendation of our Nation, which for diligent skill in Navigation much ex∣cels the rest, I stirr'd them up to use this Art, as a Divine benefit: not meerly for their own gain, but for the propagation of the true, that is, the Christian Religion. For they would nei∣ther

want matter for such endeavours, when in their long Voyages they com∣monly met, either with Pagans, as in China and Guinea; or with Mahome∣tans, as under the Turkish Empire, the Persian and the Africans; or with Jews, who as they are now profest ene∣mies of Christians, so are dispersed through the greatest part of the World: and there would always be store of im∣pious men, who are ready upon occasion to vent the Poison, which for fear they keep concealed. Against which mis∣chiefs I wisht that our Country-men might be sufficiently armed: and that they who are more ingenious than o∣thers, would use their utmost endea∣vours to confute Errours; and the rest would at least be so cautious, as not to be overcome by them.

And that I might show Religion is no frivolous thing, I begin, in the first Book, at the ground or founda∣tion thereof; which is, that there is a God. Now that I attempt to prove after this manner.