Concerning the Truth of Christian Religion, Title page – Dedication 1
A Woorke concerning the trewnesse of the Christian Religion, written in French:
Against Atheists, Epicures, Paynims, Iewes, Mahumetists, and other Infidels.
By Philip of Mornay Lord of Plessie Marlie.
Begunne to be translated into English by Sir Philip Sidney Knight, and at his request finished by Arthur Golding.
¶Imprinted at London for Thomas Cadman. 1587.
To the right Honorable his singuler good Lord, Robert Earle of Leycestor, Baron of Denbigh, Knight of the order of the Garter, and of S. Michaell, one of the Lords of the most Honorable priuie Counsaile, and Maister of the Horse to the Queenes Maiestie: Lord Generall of her Maiesties Forces in the Lowe Countries, and Gouernour Generall of the vnited Prouinces, and of their Associates: Arthur Golding wisheth long continuance of health, much increase of Honour, and in the life to come in endlesse felicitie.
MAny causes doe fully perswade me (right Honorable,) that this present worke which I presume to offer vntounto you, will in diuers respects be vntounto you very acceptable. For vntounto such as are of greatest wisedome, vertue and Nobilitie, the wisest best and weightiest matters are alwaies most agreeable. And whereas all men are naturally desirous of the souereine welfare, highest felicitie, or cheefe good, howbeit that very fewe doe knowe what it is, or wherein it consisteth, or which is the right way that leadeth thereunto: And yet not withstanding, without the knowledge of that trueth, all their wisedome is but mere ignorance blyndnesse and folly, all their goodnesse is but mere corruption & wickednesse, & al their brauerie tryumphe iollitie and pompe is but vtter miserie and wretchednesse: This present worke treateth of the trewnesse, that is to say of the perpetuall and inuariable constancie and sted fastnesse of the Christian Religion, the only band that linketh God vntounto man, and men one to another, and all vntounto God, the only Lampe that enlighteneth mans wit with true wisedome, the onelyonly waterspring that replenisheth his will with true goodnesse, and the only mightis power that giueth strength and courage to mans spirit, whereby he is enabled both perfectly to discerne and beholde his souereine welfare or felicitie, which is God the very founder furtherer and finisher of trueth or rather the very trueth it selfe; and constantly to hold on with ioy to the obteynement of the same; than the which no greater thing can by any meanes bee imagined. And in the discourse of this most graue & weightie matter, many deepe poynts of humaine Philosophie, and many high misteries of heauenly Diuinitie, be learnedly breefly and plainly discussed and layd open, to the vnderstanding euen of the meanest capacities, that will vout safe to reade aduisedly, & to conferre the parts together with diligence. For the Author of this work being a man of great reading, iudgement, learning & skill, and there with addicted or rather vowed (as appeareth by this and dyuers other of his excellent writings) to the furthering of Gods glorie by his most faithfull and painfull imploying of himselfe in the seruice of his Church; hath conueyed into this worke, what soeuer he found eyther in the common reason of all Nations, or in the peculiar principles of the cheefe Philosophers, or in the misticall doctrine of the Iewish Rabbines, or in the writings of the Historiographers and Poets; that might conueniently make to the manifestation of that trueth which he taketh in hand to proue. VVherby he hath so effectually brought his purpose to passe; that if any Atheist Infidel or Iew hauing read this his worke with aduisemēt, shall yet donye the Christian Religion to be the true and only path way to eternall felicitie, & all other Religions to bee mere vanitie and wickednesse; must needes she we himself to be either vtterly voyd euen of humaine sence, or els obstinatly and wilfully bent to impugne the manifest trueth against the continuall testimonie of his owne conscience. Not without iust cause therfore hath so great louelove and lyking of this worke of his bene generally conceiued; that many not onelyonly of Gentlemen in the Court and Country, but also of Students in both the Vniversities, hauehave purposed and attempted the translating therof into our English tongue, as an increase of comfort and gladnesse to such as are alreadie rooted and grounded in the trueth, as a stablishment to such as any way eyther by their owne infirmitie or through the wilinesse of wicked persons are made to wauer and hang in suspence, and as a meane to reuoke such as of themselues or by sinister perswasions are gone away into error, and also (if it possible bee) to reforme the malicious and stubbornhearted. Among which number of weldisposed & rightlyzealous Gentlemen, I may not without iust desert of blame … to say some what (though farre lesse than is meet) of that, right worthie and valiant Knight, your good Lordships noble kinsman Sir Philip Sidney, whose rare vertue, valour, and courtesie, matched with equall louelove and care of the true Christian Religion, being disappoynted of their purposed end by ouerhastie death in the very enterance of his honorable race, hauehave left iust cause to his louing Countrie to be wayle the vntymely forgoing of so great an Ornament, and the sodeyne bereuing of so hopefull a stay and defence. VVhereof not withstanding this comfort remayneth, That he dyed not languishing in ydlenesse ryot and excesse, nor as ouercome with nyce pleasures and fond vanities; but of manly wounds receiued in seruice of his Prince, in defence of persons oppressed, in maintenance of the only true Catholick & Christian Religion, among the noble valiant and wise, in the open field, in Martiall maner, the honorablest death that could be desired, and best be seeming a Christian Knight, whereby he hath worthly wonne to himselfe immortall fame among the godly, and left example worthie of imitation to others of his calling. This honorable gentleman being delighted with the excellēcie of this present work, began to put the same into our Language for the benefite of this his natiue Countrie, and had proceeded certeyne Chapters therein; vntill that intending a higher kind of seruice to wards God and his Prince, not drawen therto by subtile deuyce of a wylie Vlysses from companie of Courtly Ladies, himself being disguised in Ladies attire after the maner of Achilles; nor discouered against his will by the wisedome of a Palamedes after the maner of Vlysses; but aduaunced through the hardynesse of his owne knightly courage like to Prosilaus, he willingly passed for a tyme from the companie of the Muses to the Campe of Mars, there to make tryall as well of the Pyke as he had done of his Pen, after the example of the valiant Iulius Caesar, whose excellencie in all kinde of knowledge and learning, could not hold him backe from seeking to inlarge his renowme by hazarding his noble person among the weapons of armed Souldyers. Beeing thus determined to followe the affayres of Chiualrie; it was his pleasure to commit the performāce of this peece of seruice which he had intended to the Muses or rather to Christes Church and his natiue Countrie, vntounto my charge; declaring vntounto me how it was his meaning, that the same being accomplished should bee dedicated vntounto your Honor; a matter so acceptable vntounto me, both in respect of the charge it self, and of the partie that imposed it vponupon me, and of the person to whom it was intended: that although in respect of the toylesome and tedious troubles wherewith I was then pressed and am yet still in maner oppressed, I could hauehave found in my heart to hauehave forborne the vndertaking of so great a taske at that tyme; yet notwithstanding I gladly tooke it vponupon me, & (by the goodnesse of God) hauehave faithfully performed it to the vttermost of my skill. In his name therefore & as an executor of his will in that behalf, I humbly offer this excellent worke vntounto your good Lordship, as his and not myne. VVherein if any words or phrases shall seeme straunge, (as in some places perchaunce they may) I doubt not but your good Lordship will impute it to the rarenesse and profoundnesse of the matters there handled, not accustomed heretofore to bee treated of in our language. For the auoyding of which inconuenience as much as might be, great care hath bene taken, by forming and deryuing of fit names and termes, out of the fountaynes of our owne tongne, though not altogether most vsuall, yet alwaies conceyuable and easie to be vnderstood; rather than by vsurping the Latin termes, or by borrowing the words of any forreine language, least the matters which in some cases are misticall enough of themselues by reason of their owne profoundnesse, might hauehave bene made more obscure to the vnlearned, by setting them downe in termes vtterly vnknowne vntounto them. VVherefore forbearing to withhold your Honor with any further processe of words frō reading the matter it selfe, which may much more delight you: I referre both my selfe and it to your fauourable acceptation. VVritten the 13. day of May 1587.
Your good Lordships most humble alwaies at your commaundement, Artbur Golding.