Of the Reasonableness of Christian Religion, Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Of the power of the affections and intereſts in matter of Faith.
Sect. 1 THe belief of Chriſtianity being in the firſt Chapter ſuppoſed to be thus ſufficiently recommended to the underſtanding, which is a wel-natured faculty, and very ready to hear Reaſon, when it is offered to it: There is but one obſtruction poſſible, and that is from mens affections, or intereſts, and that by two ways of proceeding: Firſt mediately; ſecondly, immediately.
Sect. 2 Firſt, they work mediately by the will, and have ſometimes that unhappy inſtitence upon that, as by their importunity to perſwade it to interpoſe, before the full repreſentment or propoſal of the object, and ſo to hinder the free acceſs of the Argument to the underſtanding.
Sect. 3 Thus we ſee it often in prejudicate and paſſionate men, who are impatient of hearing or conſidering any thing that may diſpoſſeſs them. And thus we ſee it ſometimes in thoſe of a better temper, who yet being unwilling to loſe any advantages, which they can make uſe of to maintain their preſent perſwaſions, are ſo intent upon their own part of the diſpute, that they do not receive the oppoſite Arguments, with that equal Juſtice of improving them to the height, with which they are offered, or to which if it had happened, that they had undertaken the maintenance of the other part, they could have heightned them. This latter, being not an effect of ſo great a diſtemper, is not ſo diſcernible (to our ſelves eſpecially) as the other, but yet is a fault, and that of ill conſequence, and a deviation from the rules of diſtributive Juſtice, which would allow as much of our attention, or diligence to the improving of the Arguments of the one part, as of the other, and expreſs as impartial a kindneſs to the Neighbor as to my ſelf. And in all this the Will is culpable for being thus (more or leſſe) inſtrumentall to the affections. And ſo it is Negatively alſo, whenſoever we do not uſe that induſtry of ſearch as our condition permits, and the importance of the matter requires of us,
Sect. 4 But then ſecondly, The affections and intereſts do themſelves immediately, ſometimes, perform their own buſineſs, they cloud and darken the underſtanding, and make it leſs capable and receptive of ſuch repreſentations as are made to it.
Sect. 5 This made Ariſtotle to affirm, That Pleaſures are in ſome men aforeign.corruptive of principles, i. e. that thoſe common dictates of nature, &c. which are by all unbyaſſed men naturally conſented to as true, and unqueſtioned, do yet to voluptuous men (and the ſame holds in matter of fear, and intereſt, and the other paſſions, and ill habits alſo) become matter of diſpute, whether they be true or not; not becauſe in Reaſon any thing can there be offered ſit to infuſe ſcruples into a rational man, or to combat with the far greater potency of Reaſon on the other ſide, which denominated them principles, but becauſe theſe rational dictates having ſomewhat in them which is contrary to, and unreconcileable with paſſions, and ſenſitive pleaſures, thoſe conſequently that have indulged to them, and eſpouſed them, as the moſt deſireable things, do, for the enjoying of them, undervalue, & deſpiſe the rational Arguments, which would coſt them ſo dear (even the parting with their luſts) if they continued in that reputation, which is due to them.
Sect. 6 Hence is it, that the more prudent of Heathen Philoſophers have propoſed it as the beſt preparative, to the ſtudying and ſearch of truth, to have mens affections and appetites well regulated firſt (though not by reading, or ſtudying the Books, and Science of Morals or Ethicks, yet) by bforeign. Simplic. in Catheg. Ariſt.aſſuetude, and virtuous cuſtome, by inartificial precepts, and ſober education, &c. moderating and tempering their paſſions, and bringing them cforeign, Anonym. Schol. in Categ.to live Orthodoxly, dforeign. Id.leſt having their Reaſon diſturbed by paſſions, they be not able to paſs an exact judgment of things; And without this, ſay they, it is as impoſſible for a man to behold and judg aright of truths (ſuch truths as have any thing any way contrary to paſſions) eforeign. Hierocl. in Praef. ad foreign.as for a man with ſore eyes to behold illuſtrious ſplendid objects, without being anointed or cured of their diſtemper.
Accordingly it hath been obſerved in the firſt Ages of the Church, that luxurious and intemperate men were of all others moſt hardly brought to beleive the Chriſtian Doctrine of the Reſurrection of the Body, and Immortality of the Soul, becauſe their carnal joyes being ſo material and groſs, and contrary to what Chriſt hath taught of an Eternall life, and of Spiritual bodies, and bliſs, their being ſo deeply engaged, and immerſt in the former, fortified them pertinaciouſly againſt all impreſſion from the latter, and enabled them to hold out finally againſt the belief of thoſe Christian Truths, which others of more ruly tempers, upon equal Reaſons, and the ſame repreſentation, did moſt readily embrace and aſſent to.
Sect. 8 And it is worth our preſent conſideration and enquiry, whether they which are now moſt willing to entertain doubts of the truth of Chriſtianity, are either more ſharp diſcerners of truth, then all others, that are not (or then themſelves, before they) arrived to this pitch of Stanchneſs, and Scepticiſm; or again whether they have ſeriouſly ſpent any conſiderable time in reviewing their Principles, and, doing ſo, have ſprang any ſpecial new Arguments, which they had not conſidered before, and thoſe of ſuch weight with them, that they wil contentedly expoſe themſelves to all the torments of Hell (the ſure reward of an Atheiſtical Antichriſtian life) upon the bare probability of thoſe their Arguments, (which cannot be rationally done by them, unleſs their pretenſions againſt Chriſtian Religion exceed ours for it, in ſtrength of credibility, as far as an eternal Hell exceeds thoſe ſhort ſufferings of this life, to which Chriſtianity betrayes us, or as an eternal ſtate of ſpiritual bliſs in Heaven, doth ſurpaſs the tranſitory, unſatisfactory ſhort pleaſures of ſin in this life) or whether it be not really their freer indulgence to ſome liberties, which Chriſtianity admits not of, (and that more againſt light, and againſt the importunity of Gods judgements, then before) or perhaps ſome change of affairs abroad, which hath made the practiſe of Chriſtianity a more inconvenient, coſtly thing, then it was wont to be; moſt men being willing to have the advantages of Religion, as long as there be but few, and ſupportable encumbrances, that attend it; and after changing their opinion of it, when they have run any hazards by it.
Sect. 9 Which truly is ſo far from being new, or ſtrange, that it was a part of the Character, that our Chriſt ſet upon himſelf, and his Doctrine, both in that parable of the Seed, that fell upon ſtony ground, which is ſuppoſed to be ſcorched at the riſing of the Sun upon it, and by that cloze of his anſwer to Johns Diſciples, Bleſſed is he that is not ſcandalized at me, foretelling them that the moſt eminent and conſiderable danger to Chriſtian Religion, is, That they which in proſperous times are forward profeſſors of it, will, when their Religion begins to offer them ſmart, fairly forſake, and fall off from it.
Sect. 10 Thus much hath been premiſed to this ſecond Head of Arguments, on purpoſe to ſhew the influence, that matter of advantage may have on belief, and that on either ſide, not onelyonly where mens intereſts do chance to thwart their perſwaſions, but alſo, and as diſcernibly, when they appear on their ſides, to aſſiſt and confirm them.
Sect. 11 For ſo certainly did the ſweetneſſe, and wel-taſtedneſs of the Manna work as effectually on the Faith of ſome Jews, make them as willing to adhere to God, and Moſes, in oppoſition to returning to Egypt, as the new miraculous manner of the coming of that down upon them; and the Milk and Honey of Canaan, were very good motives, and alectives, and engagements to the faith, and obedience of others: And ſo in like manner the carnality of the paradiſe, that Mahomet promiſed to his diſciples, hath much advanced the credit, and facilitated the beleif, and diſguiſed the groſſneſs and abſurdities of the Alcaron.
Sect. 12 And becauſe advantages are not to be diſliked, becauſe they are ſuch, but becauſe they pretend, and are miſtaken to be ſuch, when they are not, and by ſo doing, do rob us of thoſe that are truly ſo, or that are infinitely weightier, and more conſiderable; and becauſe that which is really the moſt advantagious, is always moſt rational, moſt prudent for man to chooſe and purſue, and aſpire to: Therefore it is, that to the former Argument of the reaſonableneſs of the ground, or teſtimony on which we believe Chriſtian Religion to be true, I now proceed to the advantages, that thoſe that embrace ſhall reap by it, both becauſe moſt mens Objections againſt Christianity, are founded in an opinion, that it is not an advantagious profeſſion, and would have no other quarrel to it, if they were ſatisfied that it were, and alſo becauſe though advantageouſneſs no way contributes to the making, or proving a thing to be true or falſe, yet it doth to the making it more or leſs worth beleiving, or embracing, (for every ſlight truth is not ſuch) and ſo more or leſſe fit to be ſet up in our hearts, as our Religion.
Sect. 13 For that by Religion every man entertains hopes of acquiring ſomewhat of benefit to himſelf, and would not chuſe to enter into thoſe bands, if he did not promiſe himſelf ſome advantage by it, is a maxime, which I ſhall not think fit to prove, or confirm in this place.