Hugo Grotius · 49 of 132

SECT. XVIII. The excellency of the Christian religion farther proved from the excellency of its Teacher.

THE third thing wherein we said the Christian religion exceeds all other religions that are, or can be imagined, is the manner in which it was delivered and propagated: in the consideration of which particular, the first thing that offers itself is the Author of this doctrine. The authors of the Grecian wisdom and knowledge themselves confessed, that they alleged scarce any thing for certainty, because truth was sunk, as it were, to the bottom of a well; and the mind as dim-sighted, in regard to divine things, as the eyes of an owl in the sun-shine. Beside, there was hardly any of them, but was addicted to some particular vice: some were flatterers of princes, others devoted to the embraces of harlots, others to snarling impudence, and one great argument of the envy and hatred they all had against one another is, their quarrelling about words or things of no moment; and as good an argument of their coldness and indifferency in the worship of God is, that they who believed that there was really but one God, did yet lay him aside, and paid divine worship to others, whom they believed to be no gods; making that only the rule of their religion which was publicly received. And as for the reward of piety, they could affirm nothing for certain; as appears from the last dispute of Socrates, a little before his death. Mahomet, the author of that religion which has spread itself so far, abandoned himself to lust all his life long, which his friends themselves do not deny. Neither did he give any assurance whereby it might appear that those rewards he promised, which consisted in feasts and women, would ever really be; since they do not pretend to say that he is restored to life again in his body; so far from that, that it now lies buried in Medina. But Moses, the Hebrew lawgiver, was an excellent person: however, entirely free from faults; for with great reluctance he would scarce undertake an embassy to the king of Egypt, though at the command of God; and he discovered some distrust of God’s promise, concerning striking water out of the rock, as the Hebrews acknowledge. And he himself partook of scarce any of those rewards which he promised to his people by the law, being driven to and fro in desert places, by continual tumults, and never entering the happy land. But Christ is described by his disciples to be without any manner of sin: nor could he ever be proved to have committed any, by the testimonies of others: and whatever he commanded others, he performed himself; for he faithfully fulfilled all things that God commanded him; he was most sincere in the whole course of his life; he was the most patient of injuries and torments, as is evident from his punishment on the cross; he was so great a lover of mankind, of his enemies, even of those by whom he was led to death, that he prayed to God for them. And the reward that he promised to his followers, he was possessed of himself, in a most eminent manner; as is declared and proved by certain testimony. Many saw, heard, and handled him, after he was returned to life again: he was taken up into heaven in the sight of twelve; and that he there obtained the highest power, is manifest from hence, that he endued his disciples with a power to speak those languages which they had never learned; and with other miraculous gifts, as he promised them, when he departed from them: all which put together shew, that there is no reason to doubt of his faithfulness, or of his power to recompense us with that reward he has promised. And hence it is we collect, that this religion exceeds all others in this particular also, that the Author of it performed himself what he commanded, and was possessed of what he promised.

From the wonderful propagation of this religion.

WE come now to the effects of the doctrine by him delivered; which, indeed, if rightly considered, are such, that if God has any regard or care of human affairs, this doctrine cannot possibly but be thought divine. It was agreeable to Divine Providence to cause that to spread the furthest, which is in itself best. And this has happened to the Christian religion, which we ourselves see is taught all over Europe; even the further corners of the north not exempted; and no less throughout all Asia, even in the islands in the sea belonging to it; through Egypt also, and Ethiopia, and some other parts of Africa, and at last through America. Nor is this done now only, but was so of old; as the history of all ages testify, the books of the Christians, and the acts of synods; and at this day there is a tradition preserved amongst the barbarians, of the journeys and miracles of Thomas and Andrew, and the other apostles. And Clemens, Tertullian, and others, have observed, how far the name of Christ was famous in their times, amongst the Britons, Germans, and other distant nations. What religion is there that can can compare with it for the extent of its possession? If you answer, heathenism; that, indeed, has but one name, but is not one religion: for they do not all worship the same thing; for some worship the stars, others the elements, others beasts, others things that have no existence; neither are they governed by the same law, nor under one common master. The Jews, indeed, though very much scattered, are but one nation; however, their religion has received no remarkable increase since Christ: nay, their own law is made more known by the Christians than by themselves. Mahometanism is settled in very many countries, but not alone; for the Christian religion is cultivated in those same countries, and in some places by a greater number: whereas, on the contrary, there are no Mahometans to be found in many parts where the Christian religion is.

Considering the weakness and simplicity of those who taught it in the first ages.

We come next to examine in what manner the Christian religion made such a progress, that in this particular also it may be compared with others. We see most men are disposed to comply with the examples of kings and rulers, especially if they he obliged to it by law, or compelled by force. To these the religions of the pagans, and that of the Mahometans, owe their increase. But they who first taught the Christian religion were not only men without authority, but of low fortune, fishers, tent-makers, and the like: and yet, by the industry of these men, that doctrine, within thirty years, or thereabouts, spread not only through all parts of the Roman empire, but as far as the Parthians and Indians. And not only in the very beginning, but, for almost three hundred years, by the industry of private persons, without any threats, without any enticements, nay, opposed as much as possible by the power of those who were in authority, this religion was propagated so far, that it possessed the greatest part of the Roman empire, before Constantine professed Christianity. They among the Greeks, who delivered precepts of morality, at the same time rendered themselves acceptable by other arts; as the Platonics, by the study of geometry; the peripatetics, by the history of plants and animals; the stoics, by logical subtilty: the Pythagoreans, by the knowledge of numbers and harmony. Many of them were endued with admirable eloquence, as Plato, Xenophon, and Theophrastus. But the first teachers of Christianity had no such art: their speech was very plain, without any enticements: they declared only the precepts, promises, and threats in bare words; wherefore, since they had not in themselves any power, answerable to such a progress, we must of necessity allow that they were attended with miracles; or that the secret influence of God favoured their undertaking; or both.