it be concluded from thence that this Science was only a Chimera No body durst maintain it But 't is just thus with the Christian Religion and such as are carry'd away with a false Zeal The Incredulous object further that since those who shew the greatest Zeal observe not the most important Precepts of this Religion 't is at least a sign that they are not themselves perswaded of its Truth for otherwise say they they would not quit the best part of it seeing if the speculative Doctrines be true what concerns Practice is not less so But if the most zealous are not perswaded of their Religion what may be judg'd of its Proofs This is certainly a Prejudice that is very difficultly conquer'd in the Minds of those who have more regard to what is said than to what is done and who look upon Mens Morals as the Character of their Belief Every Person has not strength of Thought enough to consider the Laws of the Gospel in themselves without any respect to the manner how they are obey'd or to the Judgment that Christians seem to make of them by their Conduct But at bottom this is an ill-grounded Prejudice from which no Consequence can be inferr'd against the Truth of the Christian Religion as it will appear by the following Remarks First of all we may grant that there are some of those Zealots in shew for a part of the Christian Doctrines who are not in effect perswaded of any of them and who make use of the Cloak of Religion to impose upon the Multitude the better to carry on their Affairs in the World But does it follow from hence that the Christian Religion is not true By no means since it is evident that these Men may be deceiv'd as well as others They are not always such as make the greatest Noise about an Art that best understand it And if all the Discourses of these People were well examin'd it might be easily perceiv'd that the Christian Religion has Beauties to which they are utter Strangers There might be also remarkâ—d in their Dispositions some invincible Obstacles to the sincere Acknowledgment of the Truth of Christianity which is entirely contrary to those Dispositions The greatest part of these People believe for example that Force must be made use of to establish Truth and that the Magistrates who favour them ought to use those hardly that are not of their Sentiments Nay they maintain that without this Christianity is lost and that all other Religions shall triumph over it All had been still Pagan according to them if Constantine and the other succeeding Christian Emperors had not employ'd their Authority to destroy Heathenism Now what other thing can such Discourses mean but that they are Strangers to the true Proofs of Christianity as well as to the Spirit of Charity and Moderation which is the Life and Soul of the Gospel Those who have well studyâ—d these Proofs and carefully examin'd all the Parts whereof the Christian Religion is made up find it so well grounded its Promises so becoming God and Men and its Precepts so useful to humane Society that to make it wholly triumph over Error it is enough in their Judgment to obtain a Liberty of preaching it and that such as profess it may incur no Danger for so doing in a word that it may oppose the contrary Opinions with equal Arms. These Persons animated with that Spirit of Moderation whereof I spoke and equally pressing all the Parts of Christianity do not contradict by their Actions the Doctrines they profess with their Mouths If Religion therefore were to be judg'd of from the Conduct and Discourses of its Professors regard ought to be had rather to these Men than to others Secondly I have shew'd elsewhere that since Men do not always act according to their Knowledg but most frequently follow the Movements of their Passions their Sentiments must not be always concluded from their Carriage This being so it may probably happen that certain Zealots might act very disagreeably to their Profession which is an Argument that we ought not to judg of their Perswasion from their Manners We must confess however that if in those Zealots there appears a continual Series of Actions contrary to the clearest Commands of the Gospel or inveterate Habits of walking contrary to what must be known to be an essential part of Christianity then we have great occasion to suspect them of Hypocrisy and a Design of covering their Infidelity with a shew of Zeal For it is not possible but that a strong and sincere Belief should at length eradicate out of the Heart all Habits which are directly contrary to it But the most ingenuous Men may act sometimes against their Perswasion by Surprize or the sudden Motions of a violent Passion Thirdly As it would be Injustice to judg of the Goodness of the Laws of any Government from the way how they are observ'd so it would be very ill reasoning to condemn the Christian Religion because such as profess it obey it not There may be most excellent Laws and acknowledg'd too for such yet not always strictly observ'd by reason of the Interests and Passions of those who break 'em as it may be remark'd in all Kingdoms of the World 'T is just so with the Christian Religion What causes this Contradiction between the Sentiments and Carriage of Men besides the Reasons already alledg'd is perhaps because they know not how to apply the general Laws to the particular Cases which happen every day and that they mistake the most prohibited Actions for Exceptions to the Rules Arrian upon Epictetus l. 3. c. 26. A famous Philosopher said that most of Mens Errors proceeded from their not knowing how to apply general to particular Ideas If we consider it nearly we shall find that the same thing occasions at least in part the violation of many Laws which are all the while thought just and well-grounded Zeal accompany'd with very great Ignorance and the greater as the Ignorance is grosser furnishes the Incredulous likewise with another Pretence of looking upon Religion as a blind Perswasion merely built upon the Credulity of the People And indeed we see that in all Religions such as have least examin'd things and that are the less discerning appear frequently the hottest in defence of the Party with which they are engag'd The furious Zeal of the Jews and Mahumetans as well as that of the Pagan Populace is so well known that I need bring no Examples of it In those Sects also into which Christianity is at present divided the Heat wherewith the ignorant Multitude defend their Sentiments and endeavour to propagate them is but too common This blind Zeal has so often broke out and has made use of such ill Methods to advance each Party that there is no Sect but has some reason to be asham'd of it But if this false Zeal may be consider'd as a Consequence of the Principles of the Heathens
the Mahumetans the Jews and some of the Christians it is certain that true Christianity gives it no Approbation so that if the Falsity of these Religions or Sects may be hence concluded yet it follows not that we can reason against Christianity in the same manner I have already shewn in the precedent Chapter that it requires no such thing as a blind Obedience from such as embrace it and that it expresly condemns the furious Zeal which flows from this Spring One of Christ's Apostles acknowledging that the Jews had a Zeal for God Rom. 10.2 Gal. 1.14 adds that it was without Knowledg and blames it exceedingly Another says to those to whom he writes Jam. 3.14 If you have bitter Zeal and Strife in your Hearts glory not and lie not against the Truth This Wisdom descendeth not from above but is earthly sensual devilish for where this Zeal and Strife is there is Confusion and every evil Work This blind Zeal then is not an Effect of the Christian Religion and cannot be reasonably attributed to it it is a Consequence of the Temper and Education of the ignorant Populace who instead of defending the Truth by its proper Light and the Vertues it does produce in their Hearts who duly receive it defend it with the same Arms they would Error that is with Passion and Fury This sort of People cannot without extreme Injustice be look'd upon as Models whereby to judg of the Spirit and Effects of Christianity since it clearly condemns their Conduct We must on the contrary cast our Eye upon the understanding Persons who make use of none but good Reasons in its Defence and that to procure themselves Love and Respect practise only those calm and peaceable Vertues they learn from Truth This is the Character which the Founders of Christianity bestow upon them who ought to be consider'd as the true Christians The Wisdom that is from above says the same Apostle is first pure then peaceable gentle and easy to be entreated full of Mercy and good Fruits without Partiality and without Hypocrisy CHAP. III. That Vnbelievers are in the wrong for rejecting the Christiam Religion because Interest seems to be the Cause of most Peoples Devotion SInce Christianity has flourish'd in the World it has frequently prov'd an advantagious thing to shew great Zeal for the Doctrines of it Altho this makes no Change in the thing it self Truth not depending upon the Interest one has or has not to defend it yet the Incredulous are sure to take an occasion from hence of doubting the Truth of the Christian Religion There are Endeavours made sometimes to gain them over by representing to them the Consent of the Clergy in so many Places and Ages but they instantly reply that 't is no wonder if those Men did make a Profession of Christianity since they would be great getters by it in so doing but must lose infinitely if they did not And indeed we must confess that no cogent Conclusion can be drawn from the Example of all such as have defended or that now defend the Christian Religion against Infidels But their Reasoning is still less solid as I shall shew after putting it in a greater Light It is not well done to give those Occasions of saying that the Defenders of the Christian Religion diminish the Force of their Objections and those who by their ill Carriage put before them this Stone of Offence and Stumbling deserve to be reproached for it not to speak of revenging in this place the Wrong they do to Christianity Moreover I have from the very beginning of this Work propos'd to my self not only to deal with such as entirely reject it but with those also who seem to embrace it only by halves Let us imagine then a cheating Priest People but too much known in all Christendom who pretends to some Benefice if he has none already or aspires to a greater Dignity than what he possesses He appears humble gentle moderate and kind He speaks of nothing but Disinterestedness and the Vanity of all the Enjoyments of this Life If he has a Talent for the Pulpit he there principally shews his Zeal against the corrupt Manners of the Times Nay he 's in a Fury against scandalous Clergy-men and the Abuses committed in Ecclesiastical Matters so long complain'd of and not yet reform'd In a word he uses all the Discourses that should be made in that Place in order to pass for an honest Man and to make the World believe that had his Incomes been greater he would put 'em to much better Uses than most Ecclesiasticks do After acting his Part for some Years at last he obtains his end that is a Dignity and Income that render him considerable in the World and in the Church But then it may be said of him Quantum mutatus ab illo for indeed he 's no longer to be known He 's forthwith haughty hard-hearted untractable and passionate towards all such as he thinks his Inferiours Those who were his Friends before and upon whose Friendship too he valu'd himself ought to be very well satisfy'd with him if he now vouchsafes them a Look The Obligations they laid upon him while he continu'd a private Person and when they expected no Returns from him are quite lost He thinks they were all due to his Merit and that more were owing him but as for himself he owes nothing to any body and does 'em too much Honour when he coldly receives the Incense they are base enough to offer him If he prefers any Man he must be some Blockhead or Flatterer People that have no Idea almost of their Duty and that are ready to admire any thing the Bad as well as the Good so be you make 'em live at their Ease This Man so disinterested heretofore becomes oftentimes insatiable and the Revenues of the best Benefices are not sufficient to satisfy his Avarice He procures therefore as many as he can and has never too many If he be naturally covetous all that he preach'd before of Liberality is quite vanish'd all the Invectives he made against Avarice are laid in perpetual Oblivion He does Good to no body and thinks of nothing but laying up Treasure If on the contrary he be a voluptuous or stately Person he consumes his great Incomes in keeping a magnificent Table in having a stately Train and living as the proudest Men or the most addicted to their Pleasure in the World The sordid Avarice of the one is a Frugality becoming a good Clergy-man and the excessive Luxury of the other is but an Expence absolutely necessary to keep up his Rank in the World and to beget Respect in the Laity Far from making the least Reformation in the Clergy that depend upon them they let them loose to all the ill Customs and Manners to which they are subject on condition they be submissive to them and meddle not with their particular Method of living When Unbelievers consider such a
the Gospel will have us to sacrifice all our Pleasures to what it ordains us and that we resolve upon suffering all sorts of Evils rather than neglect one of its Commands These are the principal Duties very near that regard our selves for I design not to make here a complete Abridgment of the Christian Morals for my Subject does not require it and it suffices that I bring to mind the chief Heads of them The Justice which the Gospel recommends to us does contain two things One is to render every one his Due and this is what the Heathens themselves call'd Justice The other is to do for our Neighbour all that we would wish him to do for us were we in his Condition that we should pardon him for Example when he does us wrong rather than to revenge it and help him in all that we can and that is no way contrary to the Precepts of the Gospel The Civil Laws may compel us in part at least to render every Man his Due and they are establish'd for this purpose but nothing can oblige us to do more except the Desire of living conformable to the Christian Morals The Heathens themselves have acknowledg'd that to be good Men there was need of a great deal more than the Civil Laws requir'd What a poor Vertue is it says a Philosopher to be only good according to the Laws How much larger is the Rule of the Duties we are oblig'd to than that of the Law How many things are requir'd by Piety Humanity Justice Liberality and Fidelity that are not exprest in the publick Records Quam augusta innocentia est ad legem bonum esse Quanto latius patet officiorum quam juris regula Quam multa pietas humanitas liberalitas justitia fides exigunt quae omnia extra publicas tabulas sunt As it would be impossible to fulfil these Duties upon all sorts of Occasions especially when the Observation of them should endanger Reputation Goods or Life if there were no Reward to be expected in this Life nor after Death by such as liv'd according to the Gospel so God has promis'd to protect good Men here as far as should be needful for them and to render them eternally happy hereafter To believe these Promises and to have that Gratitude for the Divinity which his Goodness requires of us is what the Gospel calls Piety This is an Abridgment of the Morals of Jesus Christ and which no body can reject but because he 's not dispos'd to live accordingly as I 'm going to shew by some Examples When Jesus Christ and his Apostles began to preach the Gospel few Persons of Quality or that pretended to considerable Employments embrac'd it as we learn it from themselves At this day such as doubt of the Truth of Christianity or are resolv'd to believe it false are frequently Men of the same Rank All that are acquainted with the World know very well that the common People and those that have no aspiring Thoughts are more rarely troubl'd with Incredulity or Doubts than Persons of Quality and those who pretend to great Preferments or think themselves worthy of such If we look for the Reasons of this in the Persons themselves we shall not find that the Ambitious do reason better than others or discover Defects in Christianity unknown to the rest of the World On the contrary such as think of nothing but advancing themselves do not commonly study much in the Gospel and as they are ignorant of the Beauties of it they could not be more capable than others to find out the Weakness of it if it had any All the Knowledg they possess above the rest of Men is only the Art of so governing themselves in the World as to come at their Ends. The true Reason why they doubt or that throws them into Incredulity is nothing else but their predominant Passion Ambition which is too opposite to the Morals of the Gospel to lodg in any Heart throughly perswaded of its Truth or touch'd by its Maxims Let us suppose a Man very desirous to possess a considerable Charge without having fit Talents for it or if he has that he designs not to serve his Country by his Place but only to live splendidly and luxuriously we may suppose farther that he makes use of all Tricks to obtain it and that he 's ready to do any thing sooner than miss of it This Passion which entirely takes him up and fills his whole Imagination with the Pleasure that accompanies all his Desires makes him look upon his own Conduct as the most reasonable and the most innocent in the World If a Man in this Disposition hears of the Gospel the first time we may suppose and be told what Christ said of Ambition can any wonder if he rejects it or is the Reason of it hard to be guess'd Notwithstanding it were easy to shew that what the Gospel teaches concerning Ambition is conformable to the clearest Evidence of good Sense and that many Pagan Philosophers have taught it likewise If the Disposition therefore of an ambitious Man determines him to disbelieve the Gospel he must own at the same time that he acts contrary to the clearest Light of Reason The same Reasoning may be properly made concerning the avaritious the voluptuous the unjust the vindicative Man and all others that are engag'd in Habits opposite to the Gospel A certain Portugueze call'd Vriel Acosta who turn'd Jew and fell into Sadducism could not digest that Precept of the Gospel viz. to love our Enemies because being naturally revengeful and having been ill us'd by the Jews of Amsterdam he could never find in his Heart to forgive them He concluded therefore that the Practice of this Command being impossible it was in vain to give it to Men and could not believe that God had reveal'd it 'T is true that a Man extremely vindicative and for many Years indulging himself in this Passion cannot without a Miracle be brought of a sudden to pardon or patiently to suffer Injuries In this Disposition he 's always sure to reject the Gospel by reason of this one Precept or at least to refuse Submission to this Article supposing that the rest are not too repugnant to his Inclinations But if in those Intervals wherein his Revenge is as it were suspended a while he comes to consider the fatal Effects of this Passion which would engage Men if they always obey'd it in perpetual Wars and Quarrels that could never terminate but in the Death of one or both the Persons he must acknowledg that Revenge is a most dangerous Passion and that one or the other had better forgive his Enemy or rather to pardon one another so to put an end to their mutual Injuries He will wish it may be that his Enemies would entertain the same Consideration and cast off this Spirit of Vengeance being ready to do as much on his side The more this Thought comes into his Mind the more reasonable
divers Passages in the Gospels If I bear Witness of my self says he Joh. 5.31 my Witness is not true that is it cannot be look'd upon as true unless there be some other Proofs of it besides my saying so Then after telling that John Baptist had bore him witness he adds Ver. 36. I have a greater Witness than that of John for the Works which the Father hath given me to finish the same Works that I do bear witness of me that the Father hath sent me He further says to those that desir'd him to declare if he were the Christ The Works that I do in my Father's Name bear Witness of me Ch. 10.25 and a little lower If I do not the Works of my Father believe me not Ver. 37. but if I do tho you believe not me believe the Works What can be said more to the purpose than what you meet with in the same Gospel viz. If I had not done amongst 'em the Works which none other Man did Ch. 15.24 they had not had Sin By this it appears clearly that the Author of the Christian Religion did not require Assent to his bare Word His Apostles have acted just after the same manner for they did not only affirm that they had seen the Miracles of their Master or that he had spoken to them from Heaven after his Ascension but they have also join'd to their Testimony all the Marks of Truth that could be possibly defir'd Their Doctrine consider'd in it self did not afford the least Occasion to suspect Imposture they could not expect any temporal Advantage by publishing it on the contrary they met every where with an obstinate Resistance from the Jews and Heathens they were ill us'd every Moment and walk'd in perpetual Dangers In a word many of 'em suffer'd Death for constantly persevering in the Profession of the Truth And to accumulate Proofs they wrought Miracles like to those of Jesus Christ as he promis'd them they should before he left them The Incredulous will object perhaps that I beg the Question by supposing the Truth of what is doubted of but my Design is not now to infer any Consequences from these Facts in favour of the Christian Religion I only conclude from hence that the Apostles did not preach a blind Faith or Obedience as some Christians do at this time One of them exhorts those to whom he writes not to believe every Spirit 1 John 4.1 but to try the Spirits whether they be of God because may false Prophets were gone out into the World Another advises them to try all things 1 Thess 5.21 and to hold fast that which is best It cannot be said therefore that such as cry up implicite Faith do act according to the Genius of Christianity nor can the ridiculous Pretences of those who require Assent to their say-so be justly attributed to Jesus Christ or his Apostles It may be demanded of me here perhaps what that Faith is which is so much commended in the Writings of Christ's Disciples This is not the proper Place of discussing this Subject throughtly nor will I meddle with any more of it than is absolutely necessary to solve this Difficulty Faith as we have said before being not an implicite Belief consists first in assenting to good Proofs that is as strong Proofs as the Nature of the thing will bear For instance A Man affirms himself to be sent of God he preaches a certain Doctrine to me which he confirms by Miracles Immediately I examine this Doctrine in it self without regard to any Prejudices and without considering whether it be conformable to my present Disposition or not and if I find that it contains nothing false I conclude it may possibly come from God Then I proceed to the Miracles and if I see 'em wrought or if I find the Truth of them attested by Persons worthy of Credit I cannot doubt but God has actually sent this Man Those who are capable of making this Examen as they ought are worthy of great Praise for in the first place they must quit all their Prejudices and consider what is propos'd to them not as it relates to themselves but with respect to the eternal Laws of Truth and Falshood Secondly they must have a great Love for the Truth to go through with an Examination whose Consequences may prove very opposite to their temporal Interests as I have shewn in the first Part of this Work There are Times and Places when a Man cannot declare himself perswaded of the Truth of the Gospel without exposing himself to most cruel Persecutions and it may be said that the Commands of Christ cannot be exactly observed by us any where almost without drawing upon our selves the Hatred and Contempt of such as disobey them that is of the greatest Part of Men. So that to be a good Christian there is more Courage and Resolution necessary than is commonly imagin'd nor can it therefore be doubted but that Faith such as the Gospel requires of us is a very great Vertue It is also deserving of much Commendation if we consider that it is never found but in Minds well-dispos'd It engages us not only to believe that he who speaks to us in the Name of God and adds sufficient Proofs of it has been really so sent but also to expect great things of God for the future grounding our selves upon the Proofs he exhibits of his Power Those who saw the Persons brought to Life again by Jesus Christ who saw himself after his Resurrection and who could not doubt of the Truth of these Miracles were oblig'd from hence to a firm Perswasion of what he taught them concerning the general Resurrection of all Men. I 'm of opinion that no reasonable Man will look upon the last as impossible if he holds the first to be true for there is no greater Difficulty in raising an hundred than one again and it could not without Folly be said by any that God's Power was all spent upon those first Effects of it they had seen Nevertheless Men being accustom'd to believe nothing but what they learn from their own Experience can scarcely be perswaded of any thing without seeing some Examples of it He must be a Person of Discernment and good Sense who draws such a Consequence as I have mention'd and he must also have some Equity to expect for the future such great things from the Marks that God has given of his Power An unjust and obstinate Man will believe nothing except what he sees and has no regard to any thing but the present It cannot be deny'd therefore but that such an enlightn'd and understanding Faith as we have describ'd is a most commendable Disposition of Mind and most agreeable to the purest Light of Reason But here I foresee an Objection viz. I shall be told that I have describ'd the Faith of such as had seen the Miracles of Jesus Christ and his Apostles and not their Faith
be externally profess'd and that a Man let no Opportunity slip of shewing others by his Life and Discourse that he 's firmly perswaded of it 'T is by no means a speculative Science to continue lock'd up in the Memory without bearing any Fruit out of it and without appearing in their manner of Living who are convinc'd of its Truth It fills them with a certain Ardour for the Observation of what it commands that the true Christians are easily perceiv'd to be in earnest 'T is this Disposition that is call'd Zeal from a Greek Word which signifies Jealousy to shew that we ought not to have less Ardour for the Honour of Christianity than a Bridegroom should be concern'd to preserve that of his Bride This Zeal extends generally to all the Doctrines and to all the Precepts of the Gospel and not to some of them only We ought zealously to defend the Truths we learn from it otherwise it were to betray and equal it to Falshood nor ought we to manifest less Ardour in observing its Injunctions seeing this is not less essential than the Belief of its Doctrines The one and the other must be joined for Christianity is entirely ruin'd if those things be separated which the Author of it has united The Reason of this is that the Doctrines lead us to the Observation of the Precepts being reveal'd to us for this end and the Observation of the Precepts does indispensibly suppose a strong Perswasion of the Doctrines All Christians are agreed about this Principle and Jesus Christ and his Apostles are very express about it so that there is no necessity to prove it Nevertheless it is evident that such as shew the greatest Zeal for the Christian Doctrines and for the way of explaining them in their Country are frequently seen to violate the clearest Precepts of it after a most scandalous manner as if this Ardour they shew for the Defence of the Doctrines were all that the Gospel requires of Men. There are some People for instance whose Discourses breathe nothing else one would think but the Love of the Truth and the Desire of preserving the Knowledg of it and of propagating it amongst Men. They write in favour of it they defend it with much heat against opposite Errors and they stick at no difficulty to make Truth triumph over Falshood Nay they expose themselves sometimes to Dangers for this with a surprizing Courage But these very same People who seem entirely devoted to the Service of God and the Defence of Religion are sometimes altogether intractable when a Man has any Dealings with them Selfish proud deceitful Slanderers uncharitable and breaking most of the Commandments regarding their Neighbour they imagine themselves the best Christians in the World and the ignorant or corrupt Multitude looks upon 'em as in effect good Men. Such were in Christ's time the Pharisees whose Zeal for the Law we read of in the Gospel where at the same time they are represented as a very ill sort of Men. There are too many such at this time and every Country will furnish frequent Examples to all that have a mind to make their Observations What St. Paul said long ago to the hypocritical Jews may be now said to many People You that make your boast of the Law Rom. 2.23 by breaking the Law dishonour God for the Name of God is blasphem'd among the Gentiles through you The Unbelievers who take notice of these Men draw a Consequence very injurious to the Christian Religion which is that seeing those who pass for the Pillars of Religion who have sometimes the best Employments and who are in most Esteem are such ill People the Religion it self is but a mere Artifice to deceive the Simple and to cover their Passions under a Pretence which gains 'em Respect For in a word all that the Zealous do if you believe 'em is for no other end but the Service of God Thus Unbelievers come to imagine that the Beauty of the Christian Morals which they cannot deny is only a fine Idea to impose the more easily upon such as are not always upon their Guard They are much talk'd of say they but the most Zealous observe no more of them than serves their turn They would have others perhaps obey them exactly that they might get by it but as for themselves they laugh at them You 'l hear those for example preach Charity and Impartiality who have neither the one nor the other but are wonderfully pleas'd to find those they have to do with not selfish or uncharitable because it makes for their Advantage This is what Unbelievers say and they are never unfurnish'd with Examples to cite about all the Christian Vertues whereof there is not one that has not been violated by some Zealot and many times without doing him any Injury in the Opinion of the World because this Appearance of Zeal covers all Defects The Fact we deny not and we may add further that Jesus Christ and his Apostles have foreseen it by exalting that Charity which is principally violated by this false Zeal above not only Orthodoxy but even the highest Knowledg and the Power of working Miracles it self Not every one that cries unto me Lord Mat. 7.21 Lord says Jesus Christ that is who makes Profession of the Truth of my Doctrine shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the Will of my Father which is in Heaven Many will say to me in that day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy Name and in thy Name have cast out Devils and in thy Name have done many wonderful Works And then will I profess unto them I never knew you depart from me you that work Iniquity This is a manifest Admonition which the Author of the Christian Religion gives to his Disciples to prevent the evil Example of pretended Zealots making any Impression upon them St. Paul likewise expresses himself upon this occasion in such emphatical terms that it was not possible for him to speak more home Tho I speak says he 1 Cor. 13.1 with the Tongues of Men and Angels and have not Charity I 'm become as a sounding Brass or a tinkling Cymbal And tho I have the Gift of Prophecy and understand all Mysteries and all Knowledg and tho I have all Faith so that I could remove Mountains and have no Charity I am nothing And tho I bestow all my Goods to feed the Poor and tho I give my Body to be burned and have not Charity it profiteth me nothing It appears plainly hereby that the Carriage of pretended Zealots is directly contrary to the Principles of the Gospel as I have shewn from the beginning of this Chapter This may serve for an Answer to Unbelievers who cannot without Injustice confound some Persons Abuse of Religion with Religion it self If any pretended to have very much study'd a certain Science and that it appear'd by some of his Discourses that he understood nothing of it could
Inquisition whose cruel Maxims are abhorr'd by a considerable Part of Christians but of the Management observ'd in many Countries where it is not establish'd Nor will I treat expresly here of this Question which would require a Volume as great at least as this I shall only touch as much of it as makes for my Purpose without making any Digressions How is a Clergy-man treated in many Places if he forsakes the common Opinions never so little If he has a Benefice he is in great danger of losing it or at least expos'd to the cruel Slanders of such as would fain get his Place and who are always a good Number altho he punctually discharges all his Duties and that his Morals be irreproachable But if he be not yet preferr'd an Opinion contrary to the receiv'd Doctrines be it of never so little Consequence is sufficient to exclude him for ever from all sorts of Ecclesiastical Preferments And so zealous are some about the Conformity of Opinions that the least Suspicion is enough to do a vast Prejudice to any it falls upon Nevertheless a great Number of Clergy-men are so uncharitable as to raise many Suspicions against such as they do not love There 's not a Consequence so odious but they boldly draw it from their Sentiments and accuse them thereof to those whereupon they depend and whom they often find so credulous about the ill that is said of their Neighbour or so little inclin'd to believe the Good that those Clergy-men in many Conversations ruin for ever some innocent Persons in the Opinion of such as listen to their Calumnies On the contrary if a Clergy-man who is already in possession of a Benefice or that aims at one be a Blockhead idle spending his time in eating and drinking smoking slandering or doing some very scandalous thing provided he be Orthodox as they speak he quietly enjoys what he has got or is in a condition of being preferr'd in the Church without changing his Manners Good Men censure in vain his manner of Living without objecting any thing to him except what is publick but they are not hearkned to and towards him alone are practis'd the Duties of that Charity which thinketh no Evil 1 Cor. 3.5 7. beareth all things hopeth all things endureth all things The Unbelievers who have their Eyes principally fix'd upon the Carriage of the Clergy conclude from hence two things the one that good Morals that is the principal Duties of Christianity are the Qualities they have least regard to and the other that the Body of Ecclesiasticks is only a mere Faction where the Discovery of Truth is not intended but to support by all ways what can procure or preserve their temporal Interests The Incredulous add further that the Candidates or Pretenders to the Benefices look upon them as a Prey whereupon they may seize whenever they are vacant or which they may forcibly snatch from such as possess 'em by whatever Means they can They conclude that the end of all this Zeal affected for the Doctrines is no other thing but a good Income and that they would not vouchsafe even to inform themselves about those Doctrines if this Income were not settled only upon such as should 'T is in vain for the Clergy to say the contrary to Unbelievers the constant Practice of so many Ages and Nations makes more Impression upon them than all the Discourse that can be made to them From hence it is that they come to consider Christianity it self as they do the falsest Religions and so die in an incurable Infidelity by their own Fault it 's true but also by a specious occasion of judging wrong which several Clergy-men give ' em They are by so much the more confirm'd in their Infidelity as they see the Zeal for Temporals very different from that concerning Spirituals And this they easily discover by the Distinction that is made of those who defend and are passionate for the temporal Interests of their Party and of them who defending Christianity by the strongest Reasons imaginable and after the best Method of clearing Peoples Understanding deny not but that there are some Disorders in the Discipline of the Church which need Reformation Those last who ought to be esteem'd and advanc'd by such whose Profession obliges to favour them are put back for ever and look'd upon as very dangerous Persons whilst the first are in favour all the while and are sure to obtain what they desire The Incredulous judg by this Conduct that it is not Christianity in general they mind whatever they say but the temporal Interests of the Party since those who consecrate themselves for the Defence and Propagation of the first are disgrac'd and no Reward is thought too great for others These are the principal Prejudices which Ecclesiasticks by their Fault occasion Unbelievers to entertain I could add several things much more home upon them if I would speak of all the Abuses committed in the Places where Christianity is most corrupted but if what I have mention'd does an extraordinary Injury to Religion what may we not say of the rest And besides the Answer I design to make to these Prejudices may solve the Difficulties which might proceed from greater Disorders than those whereof I have spoken To shew that the Occasions of Scandal and Stumbling which are given to the Incredulous and of which we have been now speaking ought not to injure Christianity in general and that consequently they should not hinder any from acknowledging its Truth it must be consider'd in it self and in its first Original If there have been Additions made to it and if it has been since corrupted that is no Defect in Christianity but their Fault who made these Additions or Alterations Those who have read the Gospel and the other Writings of the Apostles cannot say that the first Founders of the Christian Religion have engag'd such as would preach it to discharge this Duty from any Consideration of Interest Jesus Christ promises nothing but Persecutions and Miseries in this World to the first Ministers of the Gospel I send you forth says he Mat. 10.16 as Sheep among Wolves They will bring you into their Synagogues and scourge you You shall be brought for my sake before Governours and Kings The Brother shall deliver the Brother to Death and the Father the Child and the Children shall rise up against their Parents and cause them to be put to Death and you shall be hated of all Men for my Name 's sake He also says unto one of his Apostles whom he call'd after an extraordinary manner Acts 9.16 I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my Name 's sake The Event did quickly convince the Apostles that these Predictions of Jesus Christ were not vain The Jews and the Heathens for the most part gave them a very ill Reception and many of Christ's first Disciples suffer'd Death for discharging the Function wherewith their Master honour'd
them It cannot be said therefore that it was Interest which engag'd them in it or that confirm'd them in their first Undertaking Had Jesus Christ made a considerable Provision for such as would preach his Gospel as he might and his Doctrine be never the falser it must be confess'd that it would have been somewhat difficult to shew Unbelievers that the Apostles did not act at all by any Interest and we should want a most considerable Proof of their Sincerity and consequently of the Truth of those Matters of Fact which they preach'd Herein we have Matter of praising Divine Providence that has taken such Care about the first establishing of the Gospel as to prevent those disadvantageous Suspicions which People might nourish concerning any Establishment like the present State of Christianity If Jesus Christ himself had enjoy'd all the Conveniences of Life as if he had been exalted for example upon the temporal Throne of the Family of David from whom he was descended then his Morals as fine as they are and even the Sanctity of his Life had never made any Impressions upon Mens Minds because when any great temporal Advantage is join'd to Vertue or made the Reward of it we easily suspect then that such as adhere to it are more influenc'd by this Advantage than by Vertue it self Since that time the Christian Religion being well establish'd the Piety of its Professors has not only provided for the Subsistence of those who succeeded in the Apostolick Functions but also considering all Places for their Conveniences and a considerable Expence in which they were engag'd As soon as Persons of Quality became Christians and that the Emperors themselves embrac'd it it was thought fit that the principal Guides of the Church should live in some Splendor without which they must become contemptible and unable not only to keep up their Respect with the People but likewise with Kings and Men of the first Order To consider Mankind such as it is now and ever will be and not such as it ought to be it is evident that this Settlement was necessary after Christianity became the governing Religion Upon this it happen'd that many of those who aim'd at Ecclesiastical Dignities did look upon them as mere temporal Settlements whereby they might live great But the Worldliness of those People cannot without Injustice be attributed to the Christian Religion nor to the Founders of it as I have shewn Nor can they be blam'd neither who have augmented the Dignity and Revenues of Church-men because they did it with a good Design and that it is possible enough for such as enjoy those Dignities and Revenues to make a better Use of them than most do If after making as modest Expences as can be for the external Part they spend the rest of their Revenues to some good Purposes where is the harm of this Is there any Law in being that prohibits it No surely neither is there any thing that hinders them from being obliging humble and moderate or from remembring their former Condition before they came to these Dignities Who would not heap Commendations upon them if they did so manage themselves that it might appear as much as possible that it was not to satisfy their Avarice or any other Passion they endeavour'd to obtain the Dignities aforesaid but to edify the Church more and to lead the People to Piety and Charity by their Example which is of much greater Efficacy than their Discourses Have there not been in divers Places and Times some Clergy-men that behav'd themselves after this manner and who drew upon themselves the Respect and Admiration of the whole World Such were the Bishops whereof Ammianus Marcellinus speaks immediately after giving that Description of those Bishops of Rome which I mention'd before His Testimony is of so much greater Weight as he was a Heathen and shews every where clear Tokens of his Sincerity They might says he be really happy if despising the Grandeur of the City of Rome wherein they conceal'd their Vices they had imitated the way of Living of some Prelates in the Provinces whom the Frugality of their Tables the Simplicity of their Habit and their Eyes always fix'd upon the Ground did render acceptable to God and to his true Worshippers as vertuous and modest Persons Therefore it is unjustly done of Unbelievers to attribute to the old or modern Christianity the Faults of those who abuse the Ecclesiastical Dignities and to conclude from hence the Falsity of the Christian Religion is the worst Reasoning that can be The same thing may be answer'd to the Objections of Unbelievers drawn from the scandalous manner after which several Clergy-men have been preferr'd and spend the Revenues destin'd by their Founders for Men fit to edify the Church If they make a mere Trade of these Employments and look upon their Revenues as Pensions granted to their Importunities or Flatteries is this either the Fault of the Religion it self or of the Founders of those Benefices Do we not see many vertuous Clergy-men who have been advanc'd only by their Merit and that make an excellent Use of their Dignities and Revenues ' True it is indeed that those who abuse them are not proper Persons to cure the Incredulous of their Prejudices and that far from edifying such as know them they cannot fail almost considering Mens Dispositions of corrupting or scandalizing them 'T is the Duty therefore of all good Men to provide a Remedy against this Disgrace of the Christian Religion and to stop the Mouths of Unbelievers If the Author of the Christian Religion or those who first spread it throughout all the World had order'd their Disciples to suffer no Diversity of Opinions not even in things that are not essential and to persecute those who would not in every thing follow the Sentiments of the greatest Number the Libertines might then questionless justly attribute to them all the sad Consequences that proceed from that intolerating Principle whereof some Divines make Profession But 't is just the contrary the Founders of the Christian Religion recommend nothing so much as Moderation and Charity in such Dissensions The Jews and the Heathens that were converted to Christianity agreed not well with one another in the Days of the Apostles The Jews among other things would have the Gentiles observe the Distinction of Meats which the Levitical Law introduc'd and condemn'd all those who refus'd to do it The Gentiles who knew that God requir'd this Observation only from the Jews and that too but whilst they had a separate Government to themselves deny'd Submission to this Yoke and laugh'd at the Superstition of the Jews Now what did the Apostles in this Affair What Counsel does St. Paul give his Disciples Do they say that the one must follow the Practice and Opinions of the other in all things under pain of Excommunication Do they order the Christian Church to persecute as soon as she could be able all those whose Sentiments should
to wish for Miracles as when the Christian Religion was not yet establish'd Thirdly it ought to be observ'd that to require new Miracles from God with and shew of Reason Men should have made a right use of the Means they have to know the Truth so that after a careful and impartial Examination they could not be satisfi'd about the thing they inquir'd after but must doubt still of it whether they would or not Upon this Supposition it might be said that God would be in a manner oblig'd by reason of his Goodness to help Mens Incredulity Hence it is that those who made a good use of the Revelation of the Old Testament and might be apt to doubt of the Mission of Christ and his Apostles not out of Obstinacy but because the Proofs thereof were unknown to them had the Advantage of seeing many Miracles in our Saviour's time But let us suppose some Men of a quite contrary Disposition who perform not the Duties which the Light of Reason teaches us who have no Love for the Truth who are full of a thousand ill-grounded Prejudices and blinded with unruly Passions who have examin'd nothing but doubt of every thing out of a voluntary Perverseness of their Mind and Inclinations Can such Men complain because God works no Miracles in their behalf Will they be so bold as to say that they are worthy of new Favours for having despis'd those which they had already receiv'd from him If the Unbelievers of our time would but examine themselves by this Picture they might easily find out the Answer we can return to them Fourthly I affirm that Miracles would be of no use to such Men. The unbelieving Jews in our Saviour's time are a manifest Argument of what I say seeing that being not able to deny his miraculous Works they ascrib'd them to the Devils The Unbelievers of our time would never want shifts to bring into question Miracles wrought in their Presence seeing they have found out several to hinder us from drawing any Consequence from those of Christ supposing they are true But of this I shall speak in my second Leter at the end of this Discourse Therefore it may be said that God has more reason to work no Miracles in the behalf of the Unbelievers of our time than to work any And such was the Method of Christ When he saw some obstinate Men who requir'd from him some Miracles he wrought none because he saw they would not make a better use of them than of other Divine Graces and would but thereby increase their Guilt The Evangelists observe * Mat. 13.58 Mark 6.5 that being come to Nazareth he did not many mighty Works there because of the Vnbelief of the Inhabitants of that Town Some unbelieving Teachers having requir'd of him a Miracle more than once †Mat. 12.38 16.1 he deni'd them and referr'd them to that of his Resurrection whereof notwithstanding they never had the Honour to be Eye-witnesses Wherefore he sometimes ask'd those who desir'd that he would cure their Diseases whether they believ'd ‖ Mat. 9.29 c. he could do it to teach them that none deserves a new Grace but he that made a good use of others It would have been an absurd thing to expect or demand a Cure from him had they not certainly known by other Examples or some good Reasons that he was able to do it Those who suppose that the Goodness of God should incline him to deal otherwise with Unbelievers suppose at once two things most absurd and altogether unworthy of Men who pretend to Reason The first is that God ought to have no respect to the Use Men have made of his Favours but that the more they encrease their Unbelief whatever the Reason of it may be the more he is oblig'd to grant 'em new Graces so changing the Course of Nature as soon as they are pleas'd doubt of Revelation whereby the Conduct of God will depend upon the Will and Humour of Men. The second Absurdity that follows from thence is that God would be oblig'd out of his Goodness to satisfy as many Parties as there are Unbelievers in the World and every one according to his own Humour and Method For every one of them would see some Miracles and as it were put the Divine Providence to a Trial without minding what it might have done at other times or in other places If any can brook those Consequences which necessarily follow from the Unbeliever's Objection there is no need we should longer dispute with him From what hath been said it appears that God is not oblig'd to work Miracles now because he wrought some formerly In those Places where the modern Miracles are not believ'd there is an ill Custom as well as in those where they are believ'd which is very prejudicial to the Christian Religion with regard to the Incredulous and it is this Several People who maintain some Doctrines of no great Moment and Certainty with too great a Heat are wont to say to magnify their Zeal that if the Opinion of their Adversaries was true the Christian Religion would be lost that one could be sure of nothing and such other things In the mean time their Adversaries endeavour to prove the Truth of their Opinions and sometimes prove it so clearly that the contrary Opinion cannot be maintain'd without Obstinacy The Unbelievers who are as it were a third Party and perform only the part of Spectators of those Quarrels conclude from thence that the Christian Religion is not truer than the Doctrines which they see so well confuted and those who have exaggerated too much the Importance of their Opinions can't hinder the Unbelievers from drawing such a Consequence against them There are but too many Examples of that ill manner of disputing but I shall alledg only one which will be sufficient to make Men sensible of what I say There have been many Disputes in this Age about the Antiquity of the Jewish Vowels Some have maintain'd that they were invented by the Masorethes some Centuries after Christ Others have pretended on the contrary that they were at least as antient as Esdras and consequently grounded upon the Authority of the Prophets The latter to stir if it were possible all Christendom against their Adversaries exclaim'd after a tragical manner that this Dispute was about no less a thing than the Authority of the Old Testament and of the whole Bible which was destroy'd by those who asserted the Novelty of the Vowels But Ludovicus Cappellus has shew'd in his Arcanum Punctationis and its Defence with as much Evidence as can be desir'd in a thing of that nature that the Masorethes were the Authors of those Vowels The most learned Criticks have imbrac'd his Opinion and look'd upon those who maintain'd the contrary as obstinate Persons The same happen'd with respect to another Dispute which that learned Man had concerning the various Readings of the Old Testament He prov'd that
there are many Readings which may be preferr'd before those of our modern Copies Did it follow from thence as his Adversaries would have it that the Authority of the Scripture should be destroy'd Unbelievers would undoubtedly have reason to triumph and it would be impossible to make any tolerable Reply to them But Cappellus shew'd very clearly that nothing can be more false than this Consequence as well as that which is drawn from the Novelty of the Vowels and so he freed the Authority of the Scripture from those Insults of Unbelievers to which his Adversaries had expos'd it 'T is manifest that there are scarce any more effectual means to confirm Unbelievers in their Obstinacy than the drawing of such Consequences For they hear on the one side some grave and much esteem'd Teachers say after a doleful manner that if certain Opinions are not true then Religion is lost and on the other hand they see Men of great Learning not only acknowledg those Opinions but also maintain them with very good Reasons They conclude from thence that nothing can be less certain than Religion by the Confession even of a Part of those that profess it 'T is to no purpose to undertake to prove the contrary to them by rejecting some Opinions grounded upon very solid Arguments whatever the Defenders of the opposite Opinion can tell them will only serve to make them pass for conceited Men and of no great Sincerity This helps them also to perceive in many Divines a strange Disposition which would dishonour the Christian Religion if it had any hand in it viz. it does plainly appear that they seek not what 's true but what they think proper to maintain the Doctrines they have embrac'd When they fancy that if a certain thing was believ'd some of their Doctrines might be doubted of they don't trouble themselves with inquiring whether their Fancy be ill grounded or whether that thing can be prov'd on not as they should do but they cry out in a woful manner That such an Opinion is dangerous that is to say it cannot be easily reconcil'd with Religion as they fancy This is the true Character of a Pleader who is not very sure of being in the right he suppresses whatever seems to him any way contrary to what he defends whether it be true or false if he is afraid it might appear from thence that he is in the wrong Such is the Conduct of the Governour of a Place who wanting Skill or Courage should say that if some ill-fortifi'd and inconsiderable Out-work were taken by the Enemies he must unavoidably surrender the Fortress Those who observ'd the Conduct of both would presently suspect the Pleader to be in the wrong and the Governour to be sensible of the weakness of the Place and that neither of them hopes to make a good Resistance Unbelievers have the same Thoughts concerning Divines when they observe that they greedily collect and catch at whatever can in any manner make their Cause better or at least make it appear so But what ought to be said is that those Divines don't know very well the Truth of Religion and stick to it only by a Spirit of Faction or Interest The Christian Religion is grounded upon clear and undeniable Arguments it stands in need of no weak Reasons to support it it needs but appear naked and such as it came from Heaven to put an end to all sorts of Difficulties If any one who do's not understand it and loves not Truth but only the worldly Advantages that attend it seem to be afraid for Religion it will never want more able Defenders who will be devoted to it out of a Principle worthy of so holy a Doctrine They will never be afraid as long as Religion is only assaulted with Reasons and Arguments CHAP. VII That the Difficulties which may occur in the Christian Religion ought not to make any doubt of the Truth thereof 1. THE abovemention'd Difficulties rather concern some Modern Divines than the Christian Religion which they explain or defend not so well as they should But because there is no Science without some Difficulties however it be understood it must be confest that there are some in the Christian Religion of which I speak in this Chapter wherewith I shall conclude this Work First I 'll make some general Reflections upon the Difficulties which may occur in the Christian Theology and then I 'll alledg some particular Examples thereof whereby I 'll shew that they ought not to make any Body doubt of its Truth There may be two sorts of Difficulties in a Science some of which don 't shake its Principles but others shew it is no Science at all tho so call'd but a Collection and a heap of ill-grounded Opinions and Conjectures For Example There are indeed some Difficulties in Geometry but no Body doubts of the truth of its Principles The Reason of which is because they are all grounded upon clear Proofs and which can neither become obscure nor doubtful Whatever difficulty there may be with respect to a Proposition following from those Principles they don't change their Nature and a Man is more apt to accuse himself of not understanding Geometry well than to doubt of it because he can't resolve a Difficulty or else they shew that the Proposition in question is of such a nature as not to be fully resolv'd On the contrary there are some Difficulties rais'd against Judiciary Astrology which not only perplex those who are fond of it but also are the Cause why all its Principles are look'd upon as false and all that pretended Science as a heap of Chimerical Thoughts The reason of that Difference is because the Principles of Geometry are either meer Definitions or Maxims clear of themselves or demonstrated Propositions whereas Judiciary Astrology is only grounded upon false Suppositions So that assoon as the Truths on which a Science is grounded have been demonstrated and there is no fault in those Demonstrations whatever Difficulty there may be in any Proposition drawn from them we don't look upon that Science to be less certain Now to apply that Observation to the Christian Religion and to the Difficulties which Unbelievers find in it The first thing to be done when any Objection is rais'd against Christianity is to see whether that Objection directly shews that the Proofs thereof are false Tho nothing could be answer'd to that Difficulty if those that raise it can't reply to the direct Proofs of Christianity that Difficulty does not weaken the strength of the Proofs and all that can be said is that the Objection is about a Thing which we do not well understand or that the Christian Theology is not perfectly known to us Wherefore the Incredulous act not wisely when they reject the Christian Religion because of some Difficulties tho they are not able to confute the Proofs on which it is establish'd Now I maintain that there is no Difficulty can destroy those Proofs
and if Unbelievers will mind it they may observe that most of their Objections have no relation to them That Observation is of very great moment when the Question is about some Facts which happen'd many Centuries ago and are attested by some Historians whose Knowledg and Sincerity have been well prov'd Altho one may raise some Difficulties with respect to some Circumstances which can't be now easily resolv'd yet if those Difficulties destroy not the direct Proofs we have of the sincerity of the Historians and the exact knowledg they had of what they related they ought not to make us doubt of the Truth of the History To be able to answer all the Queries which may be made about a Relation one should have been an Eye-witness of whatever it contains and a History can't be look'd upon as fabulous because no Body can satisfy us now about it if we have no reason to suspect the Historians from whom we have it of want of Honesty or Knowledg I could easily clear this Matter with some Instances but it would carry me too far To go on with the Comparison I us'd two sorts of Objections may be rais'd against such a Science as Geometry and the Christian Theology Some do only require the exact knowledg of two or three Propositions to be fully resolv'd and so they may be answer'd in few words But others require a long Concatenation of many Propositions depending one upon another so that one can't be convinc'd of the last before he is sure of the Truth and Connexion of many others In such a Case 't is impossible to satisfy in few words those to whom all those Propositions or the greatest part of them are unknown because they ought to examine them one after another Notwithstanding it has been observ'd several times that some Men who have some Difficulties about Religion would have their Objections presently resolv'd without having any regard to what I said tho that Resolution necessarily supposes the knowledg of several other things which they are ignorant of Because 't is impossible to satisfy them without instructing them in those things and because they grow presently weary with a long Discourse 't is a difficult matter to make them sensible of their Mistake Tho it be their Fault if they retire without being well pleas'd with those to whom they propos'd their Objections seeing they would not hear them they fancy they have forc'd them to be silent or to speak of something else 'T is just as if a Man altogether ignorant of Geometry should hear another speak of Asymptot Lines or that approach nearer and nearer in infinitum without ever touching one another and would know in two or three words how that can be No Mathematician could make him understand it in so short a time If hereupon that Man should say that there are very great Falsities in Geometry and that that Science is not more certain than several others what other Judgment could be made of him but that he is the most unreasonable of all Men seeing he would judg of a Thing the Knowledg of which depends upon many more without knowing them The same may be said of those who propose any difficulty about an Article of Religion which can't be understood without the help of some others and are angry because they are not answer'd in a word Some who want not Wit and doubt of the Christian Religion or reject it because they find some Difficulties in it do most times make a most unreasonable supposition without being sensible of it viz. That whatever they do not distinctly comprehend is not true as if Human Knowledg ought necessarily to comprehend whatever exists or is done in Nature I could easily shew that there is an infinite number of things which our Knowledg can't attain to but it will suffice to observe here that the Principle of the Unbelievers which I mention'd just now is a meer Supposition they are pleas'd to make because they imagine it raises them above what they are I maintain that this Proposition can't be denied viz. That there may really be some things the Modus or Manner of which Humane Nature can't know at present tho it studies for it never so much It ought to be observ'd that I do not say there may be some things contrary to our distinct Notions which is impossible but only that it may be we have not the Knowledg that is requir'd or the Means of acquiring it to know some things which notwithstanding are not contrary to what we certainly know 'T is necessary to make that distinction because several People who are not aware of it confound things that are extreamly different We cannot believe what is really contrary to our clear Notions but we believe an infinite number of things tho we know not how they come to pass Most Unbelievers are commonly guilty of another Fault which is less excusable than the former Instead of being in such a Disposition as is necessary for such as seek after Truth they act like Men who only strive to get the better without inquiring who is in the Right or in the Wrong They wrangle as much as they can and if those with whom they dispute do it unsuccessfully they 'll be sure to take advantage of it as if the Truth of the Christian Religion depended upon that They will not shew those who do not defend Religion well what Mistakes they are guilty of but only labour to make advantage of it that they may the more easily triumph over them But when the Question is concerning a thing of that nature about which no Man can deceive others without doing himself a greater prejudice and when Truth is equally advantageous to every Body Men should only labour to find it out and instead of insulting those who can't shew the way to it they should endeavour to put them in the right way The Spirit of Dispute is altogether inconsistent with the search of Truth and a Heathen Philosopher said well †Arist lib. 1. de Coelo c. 10. That those who will rightly judg of Truth ought to be Arbitrators not Parties Assoon as one has put on the Character of an Adversary he thinks no more of Truth but of the Glory which may be gotten by triumphing over him whom he has assaulted He is only intent upon his Adversary's way of reasoning to take him up upon all Occasions but not to endeavour to find out a better He considers no longer the thing in question as the subject of his Enquiry but of his Censure He views it on every side to find fault with it not to know what it is grounded upon 'T is certain that this is an ill disposition of Mind and Unbelievers themselves cannot deny it After what has been said 't is no wonder if Men who shut their Eyes against the clear and beautiful part of the Christian Religion and only open them to see what 's obscure and difficult in it that they
Apostles to believe that they are inspir'd but I affirm again that that very thing would raise Suspicions against them and Doubts concerning the Truth of their Doctrine Before I shew it I must not forget to say that I don't blame Art and Eloquence as being pernicious and useless on all occasions On the contrary those that make a good use of it can't be too much esteem'd that is those who use it to vindicate and clear Truth or to lead Men to Vertue I only design to shew that it fell out better that the first Preachers of the Gospel were destitute of it Let us suppose again the contrary of what happen'd and that the Apostles who left to Posterity the Life Discourses and Doctrine of Jesus Christ were Men of great Eloquence and perfect Masters of the Art of Writing exactly and methodically Let us suppose that their Writings as well as their Discourses were compos'd with great Exactness and all possible Elegancy I 'll tell you the Effect it would work upon the Minds of Men especially of those who should read them now They would think that they were very ingenious Men whose Learning and Eloquence had mov'd them to propagate their Doctrine through the whole World and get Reputation by it as it can't be doubted that 't was Plato's Design as well as of many other Philosophers It would be said that those Men in order to convince others not only of the Excellency of their Morals by the Eloquence of their Writings but also to make them observe so excellent a Doctrine out of a more powerful Motive contriv'd all the Miracles contain'd in the Life of Christ The more exact they had been in observing the Circumstances of Time Places and Persons the more careful they had been to set off the wonderful Parts of that incomparable Life and the Beauty of their Master's Thoughts by their manner of expressing them the more they would have been suspected of Artifice especially in the following Ages when what they said of Christ would be the only Reason of believing in him Thus Plato * Vid. Diogenes Laert lib. 3. §. 3. Intt. in h. loc was suspected to have adorn'd the Discourses of Socrates his Master nay it has been said that he sent him some of his own Thoughts as those who have any Knowledg of the Master and his Disciple can't doubt of it The Success of the Gospel which is no inconsiderable Mark of its Divinity would be look'd upon as the Effect of the Eloquence of its first Preachers not of an extraordinary Providence It would have been said at most that the Doctrine of the Apostles was the most excellent and rational Philosophy that had been taught till that time But by granting the Truth of their moral Rules they would have doubted of its Divinity and look'd upon it rather as the effect of the Apostles Meditations than a Divine Revelation But having written the Life of their Master and publish'd his Discourses without any Art or Method they can't be suspected neither to have contriv'd what they said nor to have us'd any Artifice to make a Lie look with the Air of Truth Their great Simplicity which appears every where and their taking no care to impose upon the Reader are evident Marks not only of their being not able to deceive but also of their Sincerity The wonderful Success of their Preaching tho destitute of whatever rais'd the Admiration of the Orators and Philosophers is a convincing Proof of their being favour'd by Heaven * 1 Cor. 2.4 5. My Speech and my Preaching says one of them was not with enticing Words of Mens Wisdom but in Demonstration of the Spirit and of Power to wit in the Miracles that your Faith should not stand in the Wisdom of Men but in the Power of God If we reflect upon those Circumstances of the Revelation and all the other which at first seem to make one doubt of it when they are not throughly examin'd we shall see that God could not give more sensible Marks of the Care he took about it but by chusing those whose Ministry he made use of to propagate it through the whole World I shall not undertake to resolve the particular Objections which Unbelievers may raise against the Christian Religion the Answer to which must be look'd for in the Writings of those who have directly prov'd the Truth of it or written upon the Holy Scripture The CONCLUSION of the Second Part. I Think I may conclude now nor can Unbelievers accuse me of drawing a Consequence that extends farther than the Proofs I made use of that nothing can be more false than to fancy that the Christian Religion is grounded upon mere Credulity That the Ignorance or corrupt Manners of those who profess it ought not to prejudice it in the least That tho many profess it out of Interest for many Ages past rather than out of Perswasion no such thing can be suspected concerning its first Founders That the Divisions which are among Christians ought not to make one doubt of the Truth of it That the Gospel is very useful to the greatest part of Mankind both in this Life and the next That the Falsities which are to be found in the Doctrine of some Christians now must not be ascrib'd to the Apostles Lastly That the History of the Creation of the World and of God's Revelation to Men such as the Christians represent it contains nothing but what is most agreeable to Reason and most worthy of the Wisdom of the Maker of Heaven and Earth If Unbelievers would seriously think upon what I have said concerning those Propositions I am perswaded that they would easily grant them and then they might find without any difficulty an Answer to all their particular Objections As soon as some undeniable Principles have been laid down which influence all the Parts of the Christian Theology several things which before seem'd difficult cease then to be so and thus one's Knowledg may be encreas'd every day On the contrary the general Principles of Religion remaining uncertain or unknown every thing makes Men perplex'd and the longer they live in such a State the more the Difficulties encrease As soon as Men have learn'd to distinguish the Religion of Christ and his Apostles from what is taught in several Parts of Europe and the Maxims of the first Founders of Christianity from those of many Christians of this time they may easily perceive that a great Part of the Doctrines which they were offended at and the Behaviour which they dislike are not at all like the Doctrine of antient Christianity or the Manners of the Primitive Christians The thing we treat of is not a Dispute wherein Men only design to shew their Wit and get the Victory but the Question is about the Search of a Truth the Knowledg whereof is equally useful to both Sides Unbelievers ought therefore to part altogether with that Spirit of Wrangling which makes them so eager to
find fault as if they were sorry to be convinc'd that the Christian Religion contains nothing that clashes with right Reason On the contrary they should be dispos'd as those who search a Truth necessary to them and think rather to discover it themselves than to find some Falsities in the Doctrine of those who would lead them to it and to whom it is not perhaps well known If those to whom they make their Application to resolve their Doubts do not satisfy them they ought to apply themselves to the Divines or read the Writings of another Party which perhaps will afford them greater Satisfaction Nay if no body did altogether satisfy them they would not be less bound to seek the Truth and having known it in part they should endeavour to go farther if it were possible and take care not to part with what seem'd to them certain because they are not convinc'd of the rest This common Sense would require from Unbelievers if Christianity was now in so deplorable a Condition that of all the Sects whereof it is made up none knew it in its whole Extent or could defend it as they ought But Thanks be to God we are not reduc'd to that Extremity The Method of Reasoning about Religion as about all other things and the manner of explaining the Holy Scripture were brought in the last Century and in this by some Christians to such a degree of Perfection as they never attain'd to before Those who liv'd in the first Ages of Christianity had reason to thank God for shewing them clear a living Proofs of the Truth of the Christian Religion by the Miracles that were wrought in the sight of all Men and the exact Knowledg they had of the History of its first Founders If we have not the same Advantages we have at least reason to give him our Thanks for teaching us that tho the Christian Religion was founded without much Reasoning or Eloquence for the Reasons I have alledg'd yet the more we are able to reason well the better we may be convinc'd of it and that the Art of Writing according to the Rules grounded on Reason may be of great Use to set all the Beauties of the Christian Religion in their due Light The Suspicions which those Talents might have rais'd concerning its first Founders have no room left with respect to those who write now There can be no better Service done to Religion than by enquiring into its Proofs with all the Exactness that we are capable of and setting before the Eyes of the Reader what has been discover'd with all the Ornaments of true Eloquence Those who know the History of past Ages are not ignorant that in many of them false Reasonings and great Ignorance were the best Talents of the Interpreters of Religion so that a Man who read them was almost to part with Reason and common Sense God be thank'd we are no more in such a Darkness May the encrease more and more the Light we enjoy by his Grace FINIS Two LETTERS concerning the Truth of the Christian Religion ADVERTISEMENT WHEN I began the foregoing Discourse I thought it not necessary to add any direct Proofs of the Truth of the Christian Religion But as I went on I perceiv'd that this Work would not be compleat enough if I prov'd it not at least in few Words What I have said concerning Incredulity being design'd only to remove the general Obstacles which hinder the Incredulous from believing it to be true it would seem that I was contented to make part of that Way smooth which may lead them to Heaven without caring to guide them to the End of it Therefore I thought my self oblig'd to add these two Letters one of which was publish'd about ten Years ago but it will be found here larger more correct and in a better Order than it was before As for the other 't is almost but an Extract by way of a Letter of a Chapter of a Latin Book wherein I have treated of the Nature of Spirits which was made publick above these three Years LETTER I. Wherein is prov'd the Sincerity of the Apostles in the Testimony they bore to the Resurrection of Christ 1. SIR You desire that I prove to you in few Words the Truth of the Christian Religion that you may use my Proofs to cure some Gentlemen of your Acquaintance who are fall'n into Infidelity I could refer you to others who have successfully treated of that Matter but because most of them have enlarg'd very much upon it I 'll endeavour to tell you more briefly what I think proper to convince your Friends of the Truth of Christianity The most common Reproach Unbelievers cast upon us is that we are full of Prejudices which hinder us from undeceiving our selves We say the same thing of them and we affirm that 't is commonly their ill Disposition which raises some Difficulties in their Minds which otherwise they would not so much as think of Besides we upbraid them with supposing a thousand uncertain things in their Reasonings as if they were certain and they fail not in their turn to accuse us of the same Fault 'T is not just that either of us should suppose our Prejudices as Principles that are either demonstrated or that want no Demonstration Let us therefore act on both sides as if we had embrac'd no Party and let us say nothing but what is grounded upon some Principles granted on both sides 2. 'T is granted on all hands that there are certain Characters whereby we may often know whether a Fact be true or not and distinguish a false History from a true one If this was not granted Men must be Scepticks or rather mad Men for one can't without being stark mad doubt of the Truth of all Histories But another thing must be also granted which is not less certain viz. that to know the Truth or Falsity of a Fact several Circumstances of Things Time Places and Persons must be present to the Mind without which one can't judg solidly of that Fact and by which one may most certainly determin whether it be true or false Those who know those Circumstances and have examin'd them at their leisure may certainly give their Judgment about the Facts in question but they can't convince others without having instructed them before and convinc'd them of the same Circumstances For example those who have read the Roman History cannot doubt whether there was a Julius Cesar who made himself Master of the Commonwealth because the Multitude of contemporary Historians and of the following Ages who attest the same thing the Series of the Time and History Inscriptions Medals and the Air of Sincerity which is to be perceiv'd in all those things do not allow them to doubt of it But if a Man was ignorant of all these Reasons which we have to believe the Facts I have mention'd and would doubt of them it would be impossible to free him from his Doubt without
instructing him in all those Circumstances The Divinity of the Christian Religion being establish'd upon some Facts one can 't judg of it neither but by the Knowledg of the Circumstances which attend them Wherefore those who desire it should be prov'd to them without acquainting them with those Circumstances require a thing equally unjust and impossible What I have said concerning Julius Cesar can't be prov'd to a Man altogether ignorant of the Roman History whilst he remains in that Ignorance and consequently 't would be unjust to require any such thing with respect to Religion 3. The first thing therefore that ought to be done to prove the Truth of the Christian Religion is to set down the Facts it supposes with all their Circumstances but an Objection offers it self which must be resolv'd before They ask what are the Doctrines of that Religion for the Christians have great Controversies among themselves about their Belief But our business is not to prove the private Opinions of any Party of Christianity 'T is enough to shew that the Doctrines about which all Christians agree are true by proving the Truth of some Facts about which they agree too Those who are sure of the Truth of its Doctrines and Facts may if they will afterwards examin all the Controversies they please Therefore without undertaking to decide those Matters I begin with the Examination of the Gospel-Morals * See are Abridgment of them in ch 1. of Part 1. without coming to any Particulars It can't be deni'd that if all Men liv'd according to its Precepts and by reason of the Rewards and Punishments of another Life were careful to worship the Creator of the World to live with Modesty Temperance Sobriety and Patience and to deal with their Neighbours as they would be dealt by them it can't be deni'd I say that such a Life would be most pleasant and advantageous to human Society We should not see a thousand impious Extravagancies and so many Superstitions which have very dismal Consequences as we see among Idolatrous Nations The excessive Love of Dignities Riches and Pleasures would not be the Cause of any Disorder and would be attended with no publick or private Sorrows Men should not know what it was to wrong their Neighbours or suffer any Trouble because of others Inhumanity or Malice They would help one another in all their Needs with all the Ardour and Eagerness that can be wish'd for If they should happen to give one another any Trouble without any premeditated Design they would forgive one another and make amends for it by all sorts of good Services Lastly the Mind enjoying a perfect Tranquility and the Body being as healthful as its natural Weakness can allow and both enjoying the harmless Pleasures which the Gospel allows us Men would not part with so pleasant a Life but to enjoy another that would be free for ever from the unavoidable Inconveniencies to which Nature has made those liable who live upon Earth Such as have any Notion of the Morals of Christ will necessarily grant this Truth viz. that Men would be most happy if they observ'd them all alike It will perhaps be ask'd whether any Christian Society does it But that is not a proper Question 't is enough if it be granted that a Doctrine which can work so admirable Effects must needs make one entertain favourable Thoughts of those who preach'd it at first We can't forbear admiring those who first exhorted Men to live one with another after a manner so agreeable to Reason so advantageous to Society and so pleasant and charming that nothing can be preferr'd to it but the supreme Happiness which can't be enjoy'd but in an endless Life 4. To know when that Doctrine was brought into the World and by whom we need only examin from Age to Age the Authors who spoke of it by ascending from ours to that wherein Christianity began first to be known We shall learn from thence or from the reading of some History that above thirteen hundred Years past the Roman Emperors having embrac'd the Christian Religion it flourish'd in a great part of Europe Asia and Africa We may be convinc'd by a great number of Christian Authors that from that time they profess'd to believe the Divinity of the Gospel-Morals If we go higher still we shall find by the reading of Heathen and Christian Authors that there was already a great multitude of Christians under those Emperors who taught the same Doctrine All those who spake of the Origin of Christianity grant it began under the Empire of Tiberius and that it was not heard of before Tacitus who was born towards the end of the Empire of Claudius or in the beginning of Nero's says that Nero having set on fire several Parts of Rome charg'd the Christians with it and put them to horrible Torments He takes occasion from thence to speak of the Origin of Christianity in these Words * Annal. lib. 15. c. 44. The Author of that Sect is Christ who was put to Death under the Empire of Tiberius by Pontius Pilate Governour of Judea That pernicious Superstition tho suppress'd in the beginning quickly broke out again and spread it self not only throughout Judea the Place where this Evil had its Origin but also in Rome whither every villanous and shameful thing resorts and finds Abettors Those who confess'd that they were Christians were presently seiz'd and then a great multitude of People whom they discover'd but were not convicted of being Incendiaries so much as they were run down by the Hatred that all Men bore against them It appears from hence that Tacitus tho a Man of Sense was not at the pains to know what Christianity was of which he speaks after a most absurd manner 'T is a shameful Effect of his Negligence as I have observ'd elsewhere and perhaps of the Roman Vanity which despis'd every thing except the Learning of the Grecians But two things may be observ'd in those Words One is the Truth of the Fact which the Evangelists teach us that there was one Jesus in the Time of Tiberius who was look'd upon as the Christ or Messiah whom Pontius Pilate put to Death The other is that the Christians were not found guilty of the Fire of Rome and could not be put to Death as Tacitus believes but upon that Accusation which concern'd also the Jews viz. That they were Enemies to Mankind The Interpreters of †See Lipsius upon this Place Tacitus have shew'd that that Historian confounded the Jews with the Christians As it was but too true that the Jews were Enemies to other Men so nothing can be more absurd than to accuse the Christians of it who had drawn on themselves the Hatred of the Jews by maintaining that all Men are Brethren and freely conversing with all Nations We have also the Testimony of another contemporary Author and a Friend of Tacitus but who was somewhat more careful to know the Opinions of
prove the Apostles Sincerity They are contented to offer some Objections concerning the Nature of Miracles and so confine themselves to the second way of knowing the Falsity of a Fact which consists in discovering that 't is a thing absolutely impossible But I shall speak of this in another Letter wherein I shall explain the Nature of Miracles I am SIR Yours LETTER II. Wherein is shew'd what a Miracle is and that we ought to conclude from those of Christ and his Apostles that they were truly sent of God 1. SIR I promis'd you to discourse of the Nature of Miracles and I must perform my Promise seeing without it I should but half prove the Truth of the Christian Religion 'T is not enough to believe that the general Doctrines of Christianity are true and agreeable to Reason we must be also perswaded that they are of Divine Revelation and this we learn from the Miracles of those who first preach'd them That is the Seal whereby we clearly discover the Truth of the Christian Religion To shew that it was reveal'd by the same God who made Heaven and Earth and gave to Nature the Laws according to which natural Causes act they have often desir'd him to suspend the Effects of those Laws tho unavoidable at their Prayers they were suspended and the contrary of what the Experience of all Ages had observ'd hitherto and of what we still see happen'd then That 's an undeniable Proof not only of their Doctrines being agreeable to the Will and Designs of the Maker of all Things as it seems to be if it be merely consider'd in it self but also of their having an express Order from God to publish it among Men. Wherefore I 'll shew first what a Miracle is and how true Miracles may be distinguish'd from false ones Secondly I 'll enquire into the Author of them and what Consequence may be drawn from them Lastly I shall say something concerning the Extent of Miracles and their different kinds I 'll shew at the same time the Truth of the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles and I shall answer some Objections of Unbelievers 2. To look upon an extraordinary Effect as a Miracle and draw any Consequences from it First it must be a thing above the Power of Men. Secondly it ought to be above the ordinary Course of Nature or corporeal Causes and above the Strength of humane Souls for Nature or natural Causes and the Order or the Laws of Nature are nothing but the Souls and Bodies of Men other Bodies and the Laws according to which they constantly act without being able to violate them Thirdly he in whose Behalf that thing is done ought to know it before-hand or at least it must happen when he wants it I shall examin those three things one after another for the whole Strength of the Proofs which can be fetch'd from Miracles depends upon it 3. There are some Divines who maintain that a Miracle is only the Effect of an infinite Power and consequently that God only is the Author of it so that it is not only above the Power of Men but also above that of all other Creatures I shall speak of that hereafter 'T is enough to observe here that nothing which Men are able to do can be look'd upon as a miraculous thing Wherefore to be sure whether what is vented as a Miracle is really so the first thing that is to be consider'd is whether Men can do it For if it appears that it is not above the Power of Men there would be no reason to believe that it is an extraordinary Effect of God's Power or of some other intelligent Being Thus if a Man shew'd an usual Skill in Swimming and boasted of it as of a miraculous thing he might be justly accounted an Impostor because one may by Use get a Skill in Swimming which seems wonderful to those who have it not But if any body walk'd upon the Water as upon the Land without sinking in the least it could not be doubted that he did a thing which is above all the Strength and Skill of Men provided he had nothing under his Feet that might be seen or elsewhere to uphold him Every one knows that there being a certain Relation of Gravity between humane Bodies and Water the Laws of Nature allow not that a Man should stand upon the Water So that if it appears that any body walk'd upon the Water as upon the Land without having under his Feet or elsewhere any thing to hold him so it must be granted that a Power greater than that of Men acted in his behalf 4. But because there are an infinite number of natural Causes which Men make use of to produce some Effects which they themselves cannot produce by their mere Skill and Strength a thing to be look'd upon as miraculous ought not to be done by any other natural Cause such as are the Bodies which surround us For example great Weights which would presently sink if they were thrown into the Water will lie upon it without sinking if a Body much lighter than Water as Wood be put between the Water and those Weights There is nothing miraculous in that because it is done by a corporeal and known Cause But it could not be deni'd to be a miraculous thing if a Man should walk upon the Water as I have said When a learned Physician cures a sick Person with some Remedies after he has spent a long time in studying the Nature of Diseases and the Effects of Remedies that Cure is not look'd upon as a Miracle 't is ascrib'd to the natural Effect of the Remedies which have been well appli'd But if we should see a Man who only by touching all sorts of sick Persons or by speaking to them without using any sensible Remedy cures them upon the spot that Effect could be ascrib'd only to some supernatural Causes Some * Spinosa in Tract Theologico-Polit cap. 6. Unbelievers have endeavour'd to make that Character of Miracles uncertain by saying that we know not so perfectly natural Causes and their Effects as to be able to distinguish what they can produce from what is above their Strength Nay they pretend that what is call'd Miraculous should only be look'd upon as an extraordinary or rare Accident and the Effect of natural Causes which were not well known But tho it be very true that we are very far from having a perfect Knowledg of natural Causes yet it is not less certain that we know most certainly some things by Experience especially when that Experience is common and easy For example we perfectly know that no Man can stand upon the Water so as to touch it only with the Sole of his Feet without using the help of any other Body for it If any one should say that it may be such a thing happen'd sometimes by an extraordinary Effect of some natural Causes which we know not it is certain that such a Conjecture could only be
heard as a Proposition which is not contradictory but is not the less false for that as the Experience of all Mankind teaches us Indeed those who use that Argument to make Miracles doubtful do it only to perplex simple Men who hear them They know very well that we are perfectly sure of some things and that they can't be made doubtful by saying only that 't is not contradictory that the contrary be true If they durst deny the miraculous Effects on which Religion is grounded they would roundly do it and not have recourse to Objections so little judicious but not daring to do it and being not able to make the contrary of what we believe look probable they confine themselves to some such Objections I shall not undertake now to confute all their particular Objections because the Principles I lay down destroy them 5. 'T is therefore certain that we may know some things are above the Power of Men and can't be the Effect of any other natural or corporeal Cause and that if we see some happen or learn from faithful Witnesses that there happen'd some we may say without being mistaken that they are miraculous things Such is for example the Action of walking upon the Water and curing all manner of Diseases without Remedies However to draw any Consequences from a miraculous Fact in the behalf of any body he ought to know before-hand that that Miracle will happen or at least it must happen just when 't is necessary for otherwise it would be insignificant If when no body thinks of it there happen'd a thing wherein neither Men nor other natural Causes had a hand and no body knew of what use it would be nothing could be concluded from it and he who should say that it happen'd in his behalf ought to be suspected of Fraud Some * See my Dissertation De Trajectu maris Idumaei Historians for instance tell us that Alexander going to meet Darius led part of his Troops to pass at the foot of Mount Climax where there was no Passage when the South Wind blew because the Sea cover'd that way and that as soon as he came thither the North blew so that they went through it Not to say the Change of Wind at that time might be natural I affirm that Alexander having not known it before and being able to go another way it can't be look'd upon as a Miracle which Providence wrought in his behalf nor can it be concluded from it that Heaven approv'd his Designs To give another Example fetch'd from the History of the same Prince * Vid. Q. Curt. lib. 10. c. 10. 't is said that his Corps remain'd seven Days at Babylon before it was embalm'd without smelling ill in the least nor had his Face a different Colour than what it had whilst he was alive tho it be extremely hot in that Climate wherein Babylon was situated Let us suppose not only the Truth of that Fact but also that natural Causes had no hand in it 't is manifest that nothing can be concluded from such a thing either for or against Alexander For indeed what could the invisible Power mean by preserving the Body of Alexander from Corruption during seven Days None but that Power can teach it and if any one had undertaken to make his advantage of it he had been justly laugh'd at That Character of a true Miracle altogether destroys the Objection I have confuted already for if miraculous Facts were extraordinary Effects of natural but unknown Causes 't is manifest they could not be foreseen No Man can foresee a thing which scarce ever happens and is the Effect of some Causes which are unknown to him unless that Man be warn'd of it by an Effect of the same Causes which is to suppose without reason a thing altogether incomprehensible 6. Wherefore if we can shew that there happen'd some things that neither Men nor other natural Causes could do which notwithstanding were foretold by those in whose behalf they were done it must be granted us that they are miraculous Facts which happen'd in the behalf of those who foretold them The Gospels are full of the like Miracles but I shall only pitch upon one to apply what has been said to it It is of of great moment that if it be granted that 't is true the rest can't be deni'd I mean the Resurrection of Jesus Christ wherein we see all the Characters of a true Miracle First 't is certain by the Experience of all Ages that no Man or any other natural Cause can restore a dead Man to Life Tho the humane Body is not perfectly known to us no more than the Virtue of an infinite number of things yet we may affirm without Rashness that no body raises himself nor by his own Virtue or that of any other thing One can't affirm the contrary without being look'd upon as a mad Man among all the Nations in the World Secondly Jesus Christ * Mat. 16.21 17.23 26.61 27.63 often foretold his Resurrection and said it should happen on the third Day He concluded from thence before-hand that Men would be oblig'd to believe that he was sent by God his Resurrection being the greatest Sign of it that could be ask'd †Mat. 12.39 40. An evil and adulterous Generation said he seeks after a Sign and there shall no Sign be given to it but the Sign of the Prophet Jonas for as Jonas was three Days and three Nights in the Whale's Belly so shall the Son of Man be three Days and three Nights in the Heart of the Earth If the Apostles were sincere Men and were not deceiv'd that Fact is undeniable and consequently it must be acknowledg'd that he who rais'd Jesus Christ bare him a Testimony which can't be doubted of I have shew'd in the foregoing Letter that the Apostles were sincere Men and could not be deceiv'd on that occasion Their Master was not hid in a Chamber when it was said that he was dead 't was upon a Cross and in a publick Place surrounded with Roman Souldiers He had been buri'd his Enemies seal'd his Sepulcher they set a Guard of Souldiers about it and he was above four and twenty Hours in it Therefore no body could doubt of his being truly dead and his Apostles did not question it Afterwards they saw him several times touch'd him spoke with him and ate with him so that they could not be mistaken in it Wherefore if the thing had not happen'd it were not possible to vindicate their Sincerity and if they were sincere Men which they certainly were as has been shew'd the Truth of the Fact cannot be doubted of 7. The more we examin their Testimony the more we shall be convinc'd of it and without insisting longer upon that I had rather observe against those who acknowledg a God and a Providence that what may be said of feign'd Miracles can't be objected against that Miracle and other Miracles of
are the Effects of the Power of God or Angels one may easily apprehend that they are not contradictory things That which is contradictory is the Object of no Power 't is a mere Nothing as all those who know the Meaning of that word will grant it No positive Idea can be form'd of it and every contradictory Proposition is unintelligible in it self If the Miracles mention'd in Holy Scripture are examin'd not one of that Nature will be found among them There is none but what may be express'd in intelligible Propositions For example God can make a Man who liv'd to live no longer that is his Blood shall no more circulate and all his Members shall cease to perform their Functions On the Contrary he can make a Man whose Blood was settl'd and whose Members perform'd none of their Functions to begin to live again as it did before Those Propositions are easily apprehended But to make a Man to live and not to live at the same time taking the word to live in one and the same Sense is a contradictory thing which is not the Object of the Divine Power God never wrought any such Miracles Those who rank among the Miracles of Christianity that whereby they pretend that God makes a humane Body to be extended and not extended at the same time and to be in many Places at one time those Men I say feign a Miracle of which they have no Idea and rest contented with Words they understand not They ascribe to the Christian Religion a Mystery absurd and contrary to the clearest Light to Reason and Revelation What I said concerning Miracles has no relation with that and I pretend not to defend any such thing My Design was to shew wherein Miracles consist to make Unbelievers apprehend that they are very possible that they can't be assaulted but by shewing that there is an Impossibility in the miraculous Facts on which the Christian Religion is grounded There is besides another sort of Miracles which tho perhaps they happen every day can't be of any use to prove the Truth of the Christian Religion because they are not sensible God can very often do either by himself or the Ministry of Angels an infinite Number of things without the intervention of natural Causes when he thinks fit or good Men pray him to do it But because one can't perceive whether a supernatural Cause acts or not on those occasions because what happens is not in it self above the Strength of natural Causes and 't is not known whether they interven'd it can't be affirm'd that a Miracle was wrought For example a sick Man whom Remedies could not naturally cure is restor'd by the Prayers of his Relations because God or Angels supply what is wanting in the natural Virtue of Remedies But this can't be affirm'd without a Revelation Hereupon 't is ask'd How we come to suppose that God who works no more sensible Miracles according to us performs every day some invisible ones such as that which I have describ'd and why he should be desir'd to work this kind of Miracles not those which strike our Senses In answer to that I say that we can know nothing of God's Conduct but by sensible Effects or a Revelation Wherefore seeing we see no more such Miracles as strike our Senses we ought to say that God will work no more any such Miracles and if we can give some Reasons of it which are not unworthy of God's Wisdom nothing can hinder us from alledging them * Part II. ch 6. as I have done elsewhere On the other hand Revelation commanding us to offer Prayers to God in our Necessities and assuring us that if what we ask is truly advantageous to us if we ask it as we ought and it we obey the Precepts of the Gospel we shall obtain what we pray for we have reason to suppose that God will interpose after an extraordinary manner if it be necessary to hear our Prayers because he promis'd it But why will it be said did God make such Promises which suppose that he works still some Miracles of this latter sort seeing he will no more do sensible ones I have shew'd already why he works no more Miracles that fall under our Senses and there is no need I should repeat what I have said about it As for the other they are a necessary Consequence of God's Providence which consists not only in having given some Laws to Nature according to which it acts but in supplying the Defects of those Laws and making such Exceptions to them as God thinks fit Seeing therefore Providence exists not less now than it did formerly no body ought to wonder that God works Miracles of that kind There is nothing in it that 's unworthy of him and seeing he promis'd it it can't be doubted whether he does it and Men have reason to pray to him on that Supposition It can't be said that 't is an impossible thing and prov'd thereby that our Prayers are useless I think I have undeniably shew'd it by supposing that there is a God who made the World and is consequently the Author of the Laws of Nature and that there are some other intelligent Beings who can do what is above the Power of Men. I prov'd the first thing in the last Chapter of the 2d Part of my Discourse concerning Incredulity and the other can't be doubted of if we acknowledg the Authority of Christ and his Apostles confirm'd with undeniable Miracles Christ and his Apostles might have made their Doctrine to be admir'd with mere Reasonings as we do now but their Business was not only to shew that they said nothing but what was most agreeable to Reason they taught not their Doctrine as mere Philosophers or Divines but as Men authoriz'd by Heaven they were therefore to convince Men that they were sent from God To prove it undeniably there was no better way than to do some things above the Laws of Nature which were sensible Signs of God's approving their Doctrine and whereby they undeniably prov'd that they were his Messengers If they had done or said nothing but what other Men might have done of said they would have been look'd upon as Divines or Philosophers who vented their own Thoughts but when Men saw that after they had appeal'd to the Maker of the World for the Truth of what they said that there happen'd at their Prayers some things which are above the Power of all Men and all natural Causes they could not doubt but God declar'd himself in their behalf especially if they consider'd that the Doctrine they preach'd was most worthy of him So that the finest Doctrine that ever was attended with unheard-of Miracles ought to excite the Attention of all those who were not altogether blinded by their Vices and Prejudices and make them look upon them as the true Ministers of that God who created the World This is Sir what I had to say to you concerning Miracles not to exhaust the Matter but only to shew the Possibility and Truth of those of Christ and his Apostles I heartily pray God that it may contribute to reclaim those who out of Ignorance or otherwise doubt of the Truth of the Christian Religion I am c. FINIS Books lately printed for Awnsham and John Churchill A Short Discourse of the Knowledg of Christ Jesus to which are added some Passages in the Reasonableness of Christianity c. and its Vindication With some Animadversions on Mr. Edwards's Reflections on the Reasonableness of Christianity and on his Book entituled Socinianism Vnmasqued By Samuel Bold Rector of Steeple Dorset 8o. Prince Arthur an Heroick Poem in 10 Books By Richard Blackmore M. D. And Fellow of the College of Physicians in London Several Papers relating to Money Interest and Trade c. Writ upon several Occasions and published at different Times By John Locke Esq 8o. Mr. Talent's Chronological Tables or a View of Universal History from the Creation to the Year of Christ 1695. Wherein the most memorable Persons and Things in the known Kingdoms and Countries of the World are set down in several Columns by way of Synchronism according to their proper Centuries and Years In 16 Copper Plates Notitia Monastica Or a short View of the Religious Houses in England and Wales c. By Thomas Tanner A. B. 8o. The Resurrection of the same Body asserted c. By Hump. Hody D. D. The Gentleman's Religion with the Grounds and Reasons of it 12o. The Reasonableness of Christianity as delivered in the Scriptures c. With a Vindication against Mr. Edwards's Exceptions by the same Hand 8o. An Abridgment of Mr. Lock 's Essay of Human Understanding By Mr. John Wynne of Jesus College Oxford 8o.
greatest Zeal for Religion should not justly render it suspected to Vnbelievers p. 131. Chap. 3. That the Incredulous are in the wrong for rejecting the Christian Religion because Interest seems to be the main Cause of many Peoples Devotion p. 143. Chap. 4. That the Divisions which reign among Christians is no good Reason why the Christian Religion should not be true p. 165. Chap. 5. That the Incredulous object in vain that Christianity being so little known and so ill observ'd in the World as it is can't be so useful to Mankind as a Religion reveal'd from Heaven for the Good of all Men should be p. 180. Chap. 6. That Vnbelievers can't conclude the Christian Religion to be false because the Divines of their Acquaintance make bad Answers to their Objections against it or because they maintain some false Tenets as true and as the Doctrine of Christ p. 199. Chap. 7. That the Difficulties which may occur in the Christian Religion ought not to bring the Truth of it into doubt p. 234. The Conclusion of the second Part. p. 277. Of the Truth of the Christian Religion p. 282. Letter 1. Wherein is prov'd the Sincerity of the Apostles concerning the Testimony they render'd to Christ's Resurrection p. 283. Letter 2. Shewing what a Miracle is and proving that from the Miracles of Jesus Christ and his Apostles we ought to look upon them as Persons truly sent of God p. 307. ERRATA Page 18. line 23. read angusta P. 23. l. 8. dele and. OF INCREDULITY The PREFACE Containing the Design of the Author in this Work I Cannot determine whether during the first Ages of Christianity more Books were written by the Christians to evince the Truth of their Religion than there may have been for these two hundred Years past But that we have fewer remaining of the precedent Ages than of the last two is most certain The Teachers of the Primitive Church and their Followers whilst Paganism was still considerable in the World labour'd more in confuting the Religion of the Heathens than to prove the Truth of that of Jesus Christ and his Apostles They thought if they could once convince the Heathens of the Falsity of their own Opinions that it would be no hard Matter then to make 'em Christians And this I could most easily shew were it at all useful to my Design On the contrary when Paganism was abolish'd in Europe and Christianity become the governing Religion the Teachers of it then left Paganism to attack the Religion of the Jews and that of the Mahumetans both which are yet in being amongst us But beside these two sorts of Vnbelievers there is yet a third who acknowledging the Falsity of the Mahumetan and Rabbinic Doctrines doubt notwithstanding of the Christian Religion or peremptorily judg it not true without setting up any other Religion in its Place Now to reduce these a new Method was absolutely necessary It was agreed therefore to prove directly the Truth of Christianity without insisting upon the Confutation of other Perswasions And it may truly be said to the Honour of the present Age and of that immediately preceding it that this Matter was never manag'd with better Success The Heathens the Jews and the Mahumetans were not ill confuted before but the Truth of the Christian Religion was far from being ever so well prov'd I am of Opinion nevertheless that there is still one thing behind which the most part of the Writers upon this Subject have either not touch'd at all or but very slightly I mean the secret Motives and general Reasons which the Incredulous have of not believing Christianity to be divinely reveal'd Their internal Disposition or Inclinations do so strongly incline them to reject all the Reasons offer'd them tho they are not aware themselves of the Motives by which they do this that all speaking to 'em is in vain before the Vnreasonableness of this Disposition be made evident Just as if any should plead a good Cause before prepossess'd Judges without endeavouring to cure them first of their Prejudices which must needs make them look upon that thing as false whereupon all the Reasons alledg'd are grounded 'T is certain that the Pleaders of such a Cause tho never so just would expose themselves to be cast or condemn'd This has been notwithstanding the Conduct of a great Part of the Champions of Christianity They have prov'd the Truth of it well enough but their Reasons appear weak to the Incredulous considering the Disposition wherein they are and whereof they know nothing themselves What is unreasonable therefore in this Disposition must be discover'd and laid so clearly before them that they may perceive how it imposes upon the Light of their Vnderstandings This is what the Author of the Christian Religion has taught us when he said that every one that doth Evil hateth the Light Joh. 3.20 neither cometh to the Light lest his Deeds should be reproved which signifies that Vnbelievers cannot look upon that as true which is contrary to the Maxims by which they have long govern'd themselves and to the Habits they have been contracting for many Years On the contrary he says that he that doth Truth cometh to the Light Ver. 21. that his Deeds may be made manifest that is to say that such as are dispos'd to live according to the Prescriptions of the Gospel are easily perswaded of the Truth of it In the same Sense he says elsewhere that if any will do his Will Joh. 7.17 he shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God or whether of himself Beside the Disposition wherein those may be who disbelieve the Gospel and which deceives them without their perceiving of it there are likewise certain general Reasons drawn from without that help to lead them into Error These Reasons must by all means be exploded because they are to them so many Prejudices whereby they determine the Truth and Falsehood of all that is said to them Whilst they think 'em good all the Proofs imaginable can make no Impression upon them because they never fail of opposing to them these Reasons which concluding to be solid they cannot at the same time embrace Christianity There are a world of People for example who discovering several of those Doctrines that go under the Name of Christ to be false judg of the rest by these and reject the good with the bad They are told of a thousand lying Miracles to whom those of Jesus Christ and his Apostles are join'd but finding the modern Miracles to be Impostures they give no greater Credit to those upon which the Christian Religion is grounded As long as they are of the mind that these Miracles are not more certain one than another all the Consequences drawn from those of Christ appear to them as built upon a rotten Foundation and the Christian Religion therefore but as a tottering Fabrick It must be shewn the Incredulous then that those Reasons drawn from without which
induce them to reject the Gospel have no Solidity in them and after this it may be hop'd that the Proofs of its Truth may have some Effect upon their Minds I design to proceed according to this Method in the present Discourse where after having examin'd the inward Disposition of Vnbelievers and also shewing the Vnreasonableness of it I shall discover the Weakness of those Arguments drawn from without by which they judg of the Christian Religion Before I begin I must once more advertise my Reader that the Vnbelievers which I attack are neither the Jews nor the Mahumetans but those who making an outward Profession of the Christian Religion conceal in the mean time their real Thoughts from the World but when they think to do it without Danger they declare to their Friends in private that they believe not the Truth of it Not but that the Pagans Jews and Mahumetans are frequently guilty of the same Faults with those Vnbelievers whereof I treat but it would be Labour in vain to trouble our selves with such as never read the Writings of the Christians and who because of their Prejudices are in a manner uncapable of reasoning rightly I write merely for the sake of those Vnbelievers among Christians into whose Hands this Book is like to come or for such as may happen to be seduc'd by their Reasons Beside this sort of Vnbelievers that commonly reject whatever is said to be reveal'd there is yet another kind of Men infinitely more numerous who are Vnbelievers by halves and to whom many things in this Work may be properly apply'd These own in general that the Gospel is true but will be sure to admit of no Particular therein that is absolutely incompatible with their own Inclinations or Habits Such Doctrines they cannot perswade themselves to be Evangelick which is almost the same thing as if they rejected half the New Testament or rather entirely renounc'd it seeing that Jesus Christ will not have the Heart to be thus divided between himself and the World Whilst I prove against them who reject all the Christian Religion that their Dispositions or Inclinations cannot be the Rule of Truth and Falshood I shew to those half-Vnbelievers that they grosly impose upon themselves in receiving nothing of the Gospel but only what serves their turn Finally I don't pretend to have exhausted the Subject I treat of An infinite Number of Cases or Questions may be rais'd about Matters of this nature without any possibility of examining them all And there may be I deny not even some general Maxims forgotten by me which cannot be commodiously reduc'd to those I have laid down worthy nevertheless to be discuss'd and serviceable to my Design But this others may do if they think fit or I may do it one day my self if I should ever enlarge this Work I have purposely said in the Title-Page that I examin'd the general Reasons of Unbelievers that the Answers to many particular Objections they are wont to make may not be expected in this Book They must be look'd after in Systems of Theology or in the Commentators upon the Holy Scripture But I 'll presume to say that these particular Objections are to be little fear'd when once all general Difficulties are remov'd out of the Vnderstanding because the same Principles that answer the one may serve to solve the other or at least prevent their having any ill Effect if they cannot be answer'd as it may be seen in the second Part of this Discourse PART I. Of the Motives of Incredulity which spring from the inward Disposition or Inclinations of Unbelievers CHAP. I. That it is unreasonable and unjust to reject the Christian Religion because it is contrary to the Dispositions a Man finds in himself HAD Men been pure Intelligences solely applying themselves to the Search of Truth and Falshood dispos'd to regulate their Lives according to the Discoveries they should make and all this without causing to them any Pain or Trouble there could be no other thing needful than to cure them of their Errors or to reform their Conduct but only to demonstrate those Truths to them whereof they were ignorant before and to shew that they liv'd not accordingly But the Judgments which Men form of most Things depend as much upon the Habits they have contracted and which they cannot easily correct as upon the Light of their Understanding and Ratiocinations Such as are accustom'd for Example to live idly never thinking of any thing that is useful and that can thus pass away their Time without any Apprehensions of Poverty these I say look upon all Reasons offer'd for Pains-taking or Study to be only the Discourses of morose People who are Strangers to the Enjoyments of Life The strongest Arguments to prove that every one is oblig'd to be some way useful to the Society whereof he 's a Member appear to such without any Foundation tho others judg 'em demonstrative But how comes this to pass 'T is because the Habit they have got of living in Idleness keeps them from attentively considering what is said for they fix their Thoughts upon quite contrary Idea's the Remembrance whereof is at the same time very grateful to them They think upon that soft Indolency and that pleasing Laziness wherein they spent the best of their days without any Chagrin and their Minds are so taken up with these Contemplations that there is no room left for any thing less agreeable As much may be said of all good and ill Habits of a long continuance as it must be granted by all that are capable of making the least Reflection and this Truth every Person has learn'd a thousand times from Experience or may do it when he will Some body perhaps that has not sufficiently study'd the Heart of Man will be apt to say that when a Habit is found to be evil it ought to be presently chang'd into a good one This is indeed most easily said but nothing more difficult to practise When a Man is us'd to a certain manner of Living and Thinking it must be own'd that he takes Pleasure in it for this is the necessary effect of all Habits Now when once a thing is accompany'd with Pleasure we cannot forbear loving it and whilst we thus love it there is no leaving of it without great Strugglings and putting an extreme Violence upon our Inclinations As the Habits we already have were contracted by degrees so a great deal of time is requisite to acquire others for as there is need of Time to destroy an old Habit so there is likewise to form a new one For if to be undeceiv'd in any thing it were only necessary to listen like pure Spirits we should in one quarter of an Hour run from one Extreme to the other Nothing makes Time necessary in order to become Vertuous but because we are unwilling to be so and did we desire it we should quickly learn to live honestly and happily Longam facit