The Reasons of the Christian Religion Part 1, Part 2 · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. Yet Faith hath many Difficulties to overcome: What they are; and what their Cauſes.
THere are two ſorts of perſons who may poſſibly peruſe theſe things, and are of tempers ſo contrary, Omnis credendi difficultas non temere ex futili nulliuſ que judidicii opinione naſcitur; ſed ex valida cauſa, & veriſimilitudine plurimum munita: Tum enim incredulitas rationem juſtam habet, quum ipſa res de qua non creditur, quiddam incredibile continet. Nam rebus quae dubitandi cauſam non habent, non credere, eorum eſt qui ſano judicio in diſcutienda veritate minime utuntur. Athenagor. leg. pag. 82.that what helpeth one may hurt the other: The firſt are thoſe who ſee ſo many objections and difficulties, that they are turned from the due apprehenſion of the Evidences of Chriſtianity, and can think of nothing but ſtumbling-blocks to their Faith. To tell theſe men of more difficulties, may adde to their diſcouragement, and do them hurt: And yet I am not of their minde that think they ſhould be therefore ſilenced: For that may tempt them to imagine them unanſwerable, if they come into their mindes: The better way for theſe men is, to deſire them better to ſtudy the Evidence of truth: And there are other men, who muſt be thought on, who ſeeing no difficulties in the work of Faith, do continue unfortified againſt them, and keep up a Belief by meer extrinſick helps and advantages, which will fall as ſoon as the ſtorms aſſault it: And becauſe no doubt is well overcome that is not known, and Nil tam certum quàm quod ex dubio certum eſt, I will venture to open the Difficulties of Believing.
§. 1. That Believing in Chriſt is a work of Difficulty, is proved both by the paucity of ſound Believers, and the imperfection of Faith in the ſincere; and the great and wonderfull means which muſt be uſed to bring men to believe.
Superficial Believers are a ſmall part of the whole World, and ſound Believers are a ſmall part of profeſſed Chriſtians: And theſe ſound Believers have many a temptation, and ſome of them many a troubleſom doubt, and all of them a Faith which is too farr from perfection. And yet all the Miracles, Evidences, Arguments and Operations aforeſaid, muſt be uſed to bring them even to this.
§. 2. The Difficulties are I. Some of them in the things to be believed, II. Some of them in extrinſecal impediments: III. And ſome of them in the minde of Man who muſt believe.
§. 3. I. 1. The myſteriousneſs of the doctrine of the bleſſed Trinity, hath alwayes been a difficulty to Faith, and occaſioned many to avoid Chriſtianity, eſpecially the Mahometanes; and many Hereticks to take up Devices of their own, to ſhift it off.
§. 4. 2. The Incarnation of the ſecond Perſon, the Eternal Word, and the perſonal union of the Divine Nature with the Humane, is ſo ſtrange a condeſcenſion of God to man, as maketh this the greateſt of difficulties, and the greateſt ſtumbling-block to Infidels and Hereticks.
§. 5. 3. The Reſurrection and Aſcenſion of Jeſus Chriſt, and the advancement of mans nature in him above the Angelical nature, and glory, is a difficulty.
§. 6. 4. To believe all the hiſtory of the Miracles of Chriſt, the Prophets, and Apoſtles, is difficult, becauſe of the ſtrangeneſs of the things.
Si animus fit quinta illa, non nominata magis quam intellecta natura: multo integ…iora & puriora ſunt ut à terra longiſſime ſe efferant. Cicer. Tuſcul. Qu. l. 1. p. 223.§. 7. 5. It is not without difficulty firmly to believe the Immortality of Souls, and the endleſneſs of the felicity of the life to come.
§. 8. 6. And it hath proved hard to many to believe the endleſs miſeries of damned ſouls in Hell.
§. 9. 7. And it is as hard to believe the paucity of the bleſſed, and that the damned are the farr greater number.
§. 10. 8. And that ſo great a change, and ſo holy a life, is neceſſary to ſalvation, hath proved a difficulty to ſome.
§. 11. 9. The doctrine of the Reſurrection of the Body, is one of the greateſt difficulties of all.
§. 12. 10. So is Chriſt's coming into the World ſo late, and the revealing of his Goſpel to ſo few, by Prophecy before, and by Preaching ſince.
§. 13. 11. So alſo was the appearing Meanneſs of the Perſon of Chriſt, and of his Parentage, place and condition in the World; together with the manner of his birth.
§. 14 12. The manner of his ſufferings and death, upon a Croſs, as a Malefactor, under the charge of Blaſphemy, Impiety and Treaſon, hath ſtill been a ſtumbling-block both to Jews and Gentiles.
§. 15. 13. So hath the fewneſs and meanneſs of his followers, and the number and worldly preeminence and proſperity of unbelievers, and enemies of Chriſt.
§. 16. 14. The want of excellency of ſpeech and art in the holy Scriptures, that they equall not other Writings in Logical method and exactneſs, and in Oratorical elegancies, is a great offence to unbelievers.
§. 17. 15. As alſo that the Phyſicks of Scripture ſo much differeth from Philoſophers.
§. 18. 16. As alſo the ſeeming Contradictions of the Scripture do much offend them.
§. 19. 17. And it offendeth them, that Faith in Chriſt himſelf, is made a thing of ſuch excellency and neceſſity to ſalvation.
§. 20. 18. And it is hard to believe, that preſent adverſity and undoing in the World, is for our benefit and everlaſting good.
§. 21. 19. And it offendeth many, that the doctrine of Chriſt doth ſeem not ſuited to Kingdoms and Civil Government, but only for a few private perſons.
§. 22. 20. Laſtly, the Propheſies which ſeem not intelligible or not fulfilled, prove matter of difficulty and offence. There are intrinſecal difficulties of Faith.
§. 23. II. The outward adventitious impediments to the Belief of the Chriſtian Faith are ſuch as theſe. 1. Becauſe many Chriſtians, eſpecially the Papiſts, have corrupted the doctrine of Faith, and propoſe groſs falſhoods contrary to common ſenſe and reaſon, as neceſſary points of Chriſtian Faith: (as in the point of Tranſubſtantiation.)
§. 24. 2. They have given the World either falſe or inſufficient reaſons and motives, for the belief of the Chriſtian Verity; which being diſcerned confirmeth them in Infidelity.
§. 25. 3. They have corrupted Gods Worſhip, and have turned it from rational and ſpiritual, into a multitude of irrational ceremonious fopperies; fitted to move contempt and laughter in unbelievers.
§. 26. 4. They have corrupted the doctrine of Morality, and thereby hidden much of the holyneſs and purity of the Chriſtian Religion.
§. 27. 5. They have corrupted Church-hiſtory, obtruding or divulging a multitude of ridiculous falſhoods in their Legends and Books of Miracles; contrived purpoſely by Satan to tempt men to disbelieve the Miracles of Chriſt and his Apoſtles.
§. 28. 6. They make Chriſtianity odious, by upholding their own Sect and power, by fire and blood and inhumane Cruelties.
§. 29. 7. They openly manifeſt that ambition and worldly dignities and proſperity, in the Clergy, is their very Religion: and withall pretend, that their party or Sect is all the Church.
§. 30. 8. And the great diſagreement among Chriſtians, is a ſtumbling-block to unbelievers; while the Greeks and Romans ſtrive who ſhall be the greateſt; and both they and many others Sects, are condemning, unchurching, and reproaching one another.
Leg. Nazianz. Orat. 26. & 32.§. 31. 9. The undiſciplined Churches, and wicked lives of the greateſt part of profeſſed Chriſtians, eſpecially in the Greek and Latine Churches, is a great confirmation of Infidels in their unbelief.
§. 32. 10. And it tempteth many to Apoſtaſie, to obſerve the ſcandalous errors and miſcarriages of many who ſeemed more godly than the reſt.
§. 33. 11. It is an impediment to Chriſtianity, that the richeſt, and greateſt, the learned, and the far greateſt number in the World, have been ſtill againſt it.
§. 34. 12. The cuſtom of the Countrey, and Tradition of their Fathers, and the reaſonings and cavils of men that have both ability and opportunity, and advantage, doth bear down the truth in the Countreys, while Infidels prevail.
§. 35. 13. The Tyranny of cruel perſecuting Princes, in the Mahometane and Heathen parts of the World, is the grand Impediment to the progreſs of Chriſtianity, by keeping away the means of knowledge.
And of this the Roman party of Chriſtians, hath given them an incouraging example, dealing more cruelly with their fellow-Chriſtians than the Turks and ſome Heathen Princes do. So that Tyranny is the great ſin which keepeth out the Goſpel from moſt parts of the Earth.
§. 36. III But no Impediments of Faith are ſo great, as thoſe within us. As 1. the natural ſtrangeneſs of all corrupted mindes to God, and their blindeneſs in all ſpiritual things.
§. 37. 2. Moſt perſons in the World, have weak, injudicious, unfurniſhed heads, wanting the common, natural preparatives to Faith, not able to ſee the force of a reaſon, in things beyond the reach of ſenſe.
§. 38. 3. The carnal minde is enmity againſt the Holineſs of Chriſtianity, and therefore will ſtill oppoſe the receiving of its principles.
§. 39. 4. By the advantages of Nature, Education, Cuſtom, and Company, men are early poſſeſt with prejudices and falſe conceits, againſt a life of Faith and Holineſs;Magni autem eſt ingenii, revocare mentem a ſenſibus, & cogitationem a conſuetudine abducere. Cicero Tuſcul. Qu. l. 1. p. 222. which keep out reforming truths.
§. 40. 5. It is very natural to incorporated Souls, to deſire a ſenſible way of ſatisfaction, and to take up with things preſent and ſeen, and to be little affected with things unſeen, and above our ſenſes.
§. 41. 6 Our ſtrangeneſs to the Language, Idiomes, Proverbial ſpeeches then uſed, doth diſadvantage us as to the underſtanding of the Scriptures.
§. 42. 7. So doth our ſtrangeneſs to the Places and Cuſtoms of the Countrey, and many other matters of fact.
§. 43. 8. Our diſtance from thoſe Ages, doth make it neceſſary, that matters of fact be received by humane report and Hiſtorical Evidence: And too few are well acquainted with ſuch Hiſtory.
§. 44. 9. Moſt men do forfeit the helps of Grace by wilfull ſinning; and make Atheiſm and Infidelity ſeem to be deſireable to their carnal Intereſt, and ſo are willing to be deceived: and forſaking God, they are forſaken of him, flying from the Light, and overcoming Truth, and debauching Conſcience, and diſabling Reaſon, for their ſenſual delights.
§. 45. 10. Thoſe men that have moſt need of means and help, are ſo averſe and lazy, that they will not be at the pains and patience, to read, and conferre, and conſider, and pray, and uſe the means which is needfull to their information; but ſettle their judgement by ſlight and ſlothfull thoughts.
§. 46. 11. Yet are the ſame men proud and ſelf-conceited, and unacquainted with the weakneſs of their own underſtandings, and paſs a quick and confident judgement, on things which they never underſtood: It being natural to men to judge according to what they do actually apprehend, and not according to what they ſhould apprehend, or is apprehended by another.
§. 47. 12. Moſt men think it the wiſeſt way, becauſe it is the eaſieſt, to be at a venture of the Religion of the King and the Countrey where they live; and to do as the moſt about them do (which is ſeldom beſt.)
§. 48. 13. Men are grown ſtrangers to themſelves, and know not what man is; nor what is a reaſonable Soul; but have ſo abuſed their higher faculties, that they are grown ignorant of their dignity and uſe; and know not that in themſelves which ſhould help their Faith.
§. 49. 14. Men are grown ſo bad and falſe, and prone to lying themſelves, that it maketh them the more incredulous of God and man, as judging of others by themſelves.
§. 50. 15. The cares of the Body and World, do ſo take up the mindes of men, that they cannot afford the matters of God and their ſalvation, ſuch retired ſerious thoughts as they do neceſſarily require.
§. 51. 16. Too few have the happineſs of judicious Guides, who rightly diſcern the Methods and Evidences of the Goſpel, and tempt not men to unbelief, by their miſtaken grounds, and unſound reaſonings. Theſe are the Impediments and difficulties of Faith, in the Perſons themſelves who ſhould believe.