The Chief Interest of Man, Section 16
SECT. XVI. Objections, from differences in Religion anſwered, though we could not be fully aſſured that the Chriſtian Religion is true, yet it would be our wiſdom to obſerve the Rules and Precepts of it. The proofs which ſome have of the truth of Chriſtian Religion, clearer than thoſe which ſome deſire to have, & clearer than any produced for the truth of any other Religion. Objections from the improbability and ſeeming contradiction of many things in Scripture anſwered. Notwithſtanding the difference amongſt Chriſtians, all of them are agreed, in ſo much as may ſerve for the well ordering of our converſations.
THere are ſome yet that (being willing to find any pretence for palliating their ſin) will ask how we ſhall find out the true Religion, amidſt ſo many differences as there are amongſt men about it. When we ſee men agreed and come to ſome accord, about matters of Religion we will conſider of the whole buſineſſe. Now to ſuch I anſwer, that if their doubt be concerning the Chriſtian Religion, whether that be the only true amongſt thoſe which are profeſſed in the world. Firſt, the eſteem which it hath obtained in the World, and the reverence wherewith it hath been received in all places, to which the knowledge of it hath come, may challenge from any wiſe man the moſt ſerious weighing of what is offered for the proof of it, which I will not here ſtand to ſum up, but will only ſay, (and that with much confidence) that whoſoever ſhall but ſeriouſly peruſe what hath been written in ſeveral Ages, for evincing the truth of it, will (ſee at leaſt) ſo much probability for the truth of it, and ſo much reaſonableneſſe and equity in the precepts of it, that they will account it madneſſe in any to run the hazard of loſing that reward, which it propounds, or ſuffering the puniſhment which it threatens to the deſpiſers of it, rather than ſubmit to a Law ſo holy, ſo juſt, ſo good. Let us ſuppoſe it, many prove falſe, yet, what would Men loſe thereby? indeed they would loſe their future reward, but they would have the preſent advantage of it, for (as Chryſoſtom truly ſays, foreign Scil. foreign. The way of ſin is more difficult than the way of holineſſe. And I cannot but here ſubjoyn the ſaying of a Learned Man, on Mat. 11.29. Precepta Chriſti, talia ſunt ut ſi par ponatur conſuetudo unius hominis ad reciè vivendum, alterius ad flagitia, non dubie multo dulcior ſit futura vita quaeſecundum virtutem eſt, graviſſima enim tributa pendunt qui ambitioni, qui avaritiae, qui libidini ſerviunt: that is, Suppoſe ſeveral Men equally accuſtomed to a ſinful, and a Holy life, and the way of Vertue and Piety ſhall be found to be much more pleaſant, and thoſe that are Vaſſals to ambition, Covetouſneſs, ſenſuality will find the tribute heavy, which they pay to ſuch Tyrants. So that as thoſe who ſearch into the ſecrets of nature to find out the Philoſophers Stone, though they attain not their end, yet find out many ſecrets and experiments, which may be pleaſing and uſeful: in like manner, thoſe who ſeek eternal happineſs in the Goſpel, though it ſhould be ſuppoſed that they may miſs of it, yet they ſhall find ſuch real advantage by the obſervation of thoſe precepts, that are there given, that their labour would not be in vain, but they would be ſufficiently recompenced for it. But now ſuppoſe, the things therein delivered, ſhould prove true, what a woful caſe would thoſe be in, which ſhould be found to be neglecters of it? what a dreadful thing would it be for them to fall into the hands of the living God? and you that think good to ſuſpend your belief of the truth of the Goſpel, that ſo you may without diſturbance enjoy the pleaſures of ſin, and prevent the clamors of an unquiet accuſing Conſcience. Gird up your loyns like Men, and tell me, (I beſeech you) do the arguments which you have againſt the truth of Chriſtian Religion, as far exceed in probability, thoſe which are alledged for the proof of it, as the Glory which it propounds (as the reward of holineſſe) exceeds the pleaſures of ſin, (ſuppoſing that pleaſure in it which you imagine) or as far as the torments threatned, as the wages of ſin exceed the utmoſt ſeverity that men can be imagined to ſubmit themſelves to, in obedience to the Goſpel? yea, let men but act congruouſly, and allow as much in matters of Religion, as in other inſtances of their lives, and we ſhall find that, as the Chriſtians of old argued againſt the Heathens, that they believed many things in Philoſophy, and humane learning, upon leſſe evidence than what was offered for the proof of Chriſtianity: ſo men do make much greater adventures upon more improbable grounds than any they can be imagined to make by conforming themſelves to the Rules of the Goſpel, upon the grounds laid down for confirmation of it. And if men were as ſuſpicious and wary in other things as theſe Scepticks; in matters of Religion, they muſt not eat, leſt through the malice or negligence of ſome, there ſhould be poyſon mingled with their meat; they muſt not go into an houſe, leſt it ſhould fall upon their heads; they muſt not obey any commands of their Princes, unleſs they ſhould come and deliver them in expreſſe words to themſelves, becauſe ſome might poſſibly counterfeit their hands and ſeals; yea, it is moſt evident, that they muſt forbear ſo many things, that they would not be ſit for converſe with men, but would quite overthrow human Society. Let me go a little further, I deſire (in good earneſt) to know of Men, what evidence they require to perſwade them of the truth of Chriſtian Religion, and it may be what they have already will be found more convincing. Some may fancy a voice from Heaven would ſatisfie them. I anſwer, they have already a more ſure word of Prophecy. 2 Pet. 1.19. They think perhaps if one ſhould come from the other World, of their former acquaintance, and tell them what is done there, they ſhould believe; but he that doth not believe the Scriptures, will not believe though one ſhould ariſe from the dead. Luk. 16.31. Neither do I beg the queſtion, in alledging theſe things from Scripture, grounding them wholly on its authority, but aſſert them boldly as theorems, which are demonſtrable by reaſon, being aſſured that there might be more objected againſt ſuch kind of evidence, than is to be objected againſt that which is brought in the Scriptures. For tell me, I beſeech you, in caſe there ſhould be ſuch a voice from Heaven, might we not as eaſily ſuſpect that our ſenſes might be deceived, or that it might be formed in the air by ſome ſpirit, as ſuſpect that we ſhould be impoſed upon, by the Prophets who wrought ſo many miracles, for the confirmation of their miſſion from God, which ſo plainly fore-told many things to be accompliſhed after many Ages, which could not be foreſeen in their cauſes, that were holy men, and ſuch as could not be imagined to have a deſign to deceive, eſpecially the things which they delivered, being ſuch as expoſed them to danger and trouble and were not likely to bring them any advantage in the World. Or ſhould Moſes, or one of the Prophets, or Apoſtles ariſe from the dead & tell us, they did indeed live here upon the earth in ſuch times, and preach ſuch Doctrine, and work ſuch miracles; yea, and they have found ſince their Death, that thoſe things which they Prophecyed, or Preached, are true, they ſee thoſe who obeyed their word triumphing in Heaven, and thoſe who contemned it, tormented in Hell: might we not as eaſily ſuſpect that this might be ſome Spirit, which appeared in their ſhape to delude us, as that the Jews who are Enemies to the Chriſtian Religion, ſhould deviſe a writing and diſperſe it abroad in the World, which ſhould ſo plainly confirm the Chriſtian Religion as the Old Teſtament doth, which is at this day owned among the Jews, or that thoſe Antient Writers ſhould conſpire together, to deceive the World, in recording the ſame things, which we find in Scripture, or that the Scriptures ſhould be tranſlated into ſo many languages, and diſperſed all the World over, ſo ſoon after the Apoſtles times, and none be ſo falſe to the divulgers of it, or ſo true to the World, as to give notice of it, if it were a forgery, or that theſe things ſhould be recorded in the Roman Regiſters, and the acts of their Senate to which Tertullian durſt appeal, if there had been no ſuch thing? This one thing would I learn, ſhould one come to us, as from the dead in the likeneſſe of Alexander, Caeſar, William the Conqueror, Wickliff, Luther, Calvin, and tell us in ſober ſadneſſe that they were ſuch a one, that lived in ſuch a time, did ſuch things, Preached ſuch Doctrine, whether ſhould we believe ſuch a Teſtimony ſooner than the unanimous conſent of Hiſtory concerning them, and thoſe Books and Writings which are generally received as the works of ſuch Men? If any ſhall ſay that Turks and Heathens are as confident of the truth of that Religion which they were brought up in, as we are of the truth of ours. I anſwer, they have not like ground for their confidence, as for the Heathens, what became of their Gods, their Oracles, when the Hebrew Child was born, and when the Goſpel began to ſpread in the World? Compare the miracles wherewith other Religions have been confirmed, with thoſe wherewith the Goſpel hath been confirmed, and ſee whether they be ſo many, ſo confeſſedly above the power of Nature or Art, ſo evidently, wrought in the ſight of all, as thoſe whereby the Chriſtian Religion hath been confirmed. What is the reaſon that the Turks admit no enquiry, or diſpute about matters of Religion, but require an implicite Faith? Truth ſeeks no corners, error ſhuns the light. Examine the Laws of Turks and Pagans whether there be that Purity, Equity, Wiſdom, conſonancy to right reaſon, and the light of Nature, in them which is to be found in the Scriptures. Examine the ways and means by which they have been propagated, whether they have reached any further than their Swords have made way for them, whether the Weapons of their warfare were ſpiritual or carnal: whereas the Goſpel prevailed through the evidence and power of the Spirit againſt the pretended authority of the Jews, the Wiſdom and learning of the Grecians, the power and force of the Romans, and Fiſhermen were too hard for Rabbies, Philoſophers, Judges, Generals, Armies. If any object the improbability of ſome things delivered in Scripture, I ſhall only propound whether there be not ſome things which we are fully aſſured of, either by experiments, or Mathematical demonſtration, which to others ſeem as improbable as any thing in the Scripture ſeems to us, and ſhall we not grant God to be as much wiſer than our ſelves, as we are wiſer than other Men, and ſuppoſe he could as eaſily convince us of thoſe things which now ſeem impoſſible to us, as we can convince others of thoſe things which they cannot at preſent believe? And if the ſeeming contradictions that are in Scripture be urged to weaken the authority of them, they are rather an argument of the integrity and ſincerity of the Penmen, and their leaving things ſo ſecurely, which do not at firſt ſight ſeem to accord with other Scriptures, ſhews clearly they had no Plot to deceive the World, otherwiſe they would have conſpired to make their teſtimonies, agree in words more exactly; yet upon examination of the matter, and conſidering the ſeveral circumſtances of time, place, Perſons, ſcope, occaſion, the ſeveral uſes of the ſame word and phraſe, the latitude which all Authors uſe in their writings, the ſeveral places and Perſons of the ſame name, the ſeveral names given to the ſame place or Perſon, the ſhortneſſe of Scripture, Hiſtory, and ſupplying in one place, what is wanting in another, the attending rather to ſence and ſubſtance, than to words and phraſes in citing Scripture, we ſhall find that there is a very fair accord between thoſe places which ſeem to be at the greateſt variance, and if we cannot reconcile all places, yet if we conſider that we have by attending to ſuch things as I have mentioned already, compoſed ſo many ſeeming differences, we may conclude it is from our own ignorance, that we cannot compoſe the reſt, and that there is yet ſomewhat elſe that we are ignorant of, which if we could find out, we might as eaſily reconcile the reſt, which at preſent ſeem moſt irreconcilable, and it is obvious to every one how many difficulties and contradictions ſeem to be in every Science, while Men are but ſmatterers in it, which preſently vaniſh as ſoon as they come more perfectly to underſtand it. But now if this objection be framed againſt the differences which are among Chriſtians, which profeſſe the Goſpel, I will by the way obſerve this, that differences do moſt abound, where men (upon ſerious apprehenſions of the weight and importance of the matters of faith) do diligently apply themſelves to underſtand themſelves, the myſteries of the Goſpel, and to ſee with their own eyes, being affraid to be deceived in matters of ſuch moment, by depending upon the teſtimony of others, and unwilling to loſe their Souls and Heaven, and God, to ſave the labour of ſearching after truth, and in thoſe Nations where I have had opportunity to be converſant, I have found moſt differences amongſt them, which have been moſt addicted to Religion, and moſt ſollicitous about the condition of their ſouls, and moſt agreement amongſt them, which have contented themſelves to follow others by an implicit faith, without troubling themſelves much to ſearch after truth, and where there hath been ſuch a coldneſſe and indifferency in matters of Religion, that all have quietly accorded together, as the Philoſophers obſerve, that cold doth congregate Heterogeneal things, or ſuch things as are of different kinds, making them all to conſiſt quietly together, which heat doth ſever and ſeperate. So that I am almoſt ready to ſay with Luther, that I know not how to believe, that the Goſpel hath been preached in a place, where I do not ſee errors and diviſions. And it is further obſervable as an argument of the general concurrence of all Chriſtians, in the belief of the neceſſity, and excellency of an holy life, that ſetting aſide ſome few, who (being themſelves Slaves to vile affections) have laid down ſome looſe principles to patronize their own corrupt practiſes, and draw after them ſuch as are laden with the like ſinful luſts: men of all opinions and perſwaſions have earneſtly preſſed men to the greateſt ſtrictneſſe and accurateneſſe in their converſations, and have ſerved themſelves at leaſt of a ſhew of holineſſe, as the moſt effectual means to induce men to a belief of their Doctrine. But to come nearer to the matter, let us leave men to ſuſpend their belief a while of thoſe things, which they ſee controverted, and where they find probable arguments alledged on the one ſide, and on the other, yet their objection holds not againſt ſuch things, wherein all are agreed, as are moſt of the precepts of the Goſpel. That rule which was formerly mentioned, given by our Saviour, Mat. 7.12. is not only allowed by all Chriſtians, but by the very Heathens. Alexander Severus did ſo much eſteem it, that he would have it written upon the Walls of his Palace. So many other important truths, which are a ſufficient Foundation, of the moſt ſtrict and holy converſation are agreed on amongſt all, as Gods omniſciency overſeeing all our actions, a future judgement, wherein all muſt be ſentenced according to their actions, inſomuch that even Robbers, and ſuch as conſpire in wickedneſſe, and ſeem to bid defiance to Heaven, are ſelf condemned, and witneſſe for God againſt themſelves, in obliging themſelves to ſecreſie and faithfulneſſe to each other, by ſolemn oaths wherein they ſwear by the name of that God, whoſe commands they live in the open breach of, and ſo acknowledge him as a witneſſe and ſpectator of their actions, and one who will ſeverely puniſh the contempt of his authority, in the breach of ſuch oaths. Many cannot agree indeed about methodizing their notions, and diſpoſing them into ſuch a ſyſteme as that every part may agree, and that there may be an harmony in the whole. Some cannot agree about the order and nature of Gods decrees, yet all believe that no decree doth excuſe a Mans ſin, or that any can pretend any benefit by their election, that have not ſome evidence of it in their ſanctification. Men differ in their notions about the cauſe of ſin, yet on both ſides they hold; that as the kind of fruit is not according to the root or ſtock, but according to the Graft or Cyon, out of which it immediately grows: ſo the ſpecification of actions depends not upon any remote cauſes which may have an influence into them, but upon the will of him that is the immediate cauſe of them, and that there is nothing in the decrees of God, or the temptations of Satan, which will excuſe the ſinner, or quit him from guilt. Men are at variance about the extent of the efficacy of Chriſts death, but agree that none ſhall have any ſaving benefit by it, but thoſe that believe. Men differ about the Power of nature, and liberty of the will, but on both hands, own ſo much power as will leave men inexcuſable, and may be a ground of our endeavors, and ſo much neceſſity of Grace and Divine aſſiſtance, as may bring us upon our knees, and force us to our Prayers. Some difference there is about Perſeverance, but a conſent in this, that he that doth not perſevere in holineſs ſhall never be ſaved. Some difference there is about the hand that works have in our juſtification, but all agree that they are neceſſary in thoſe that are juſtified. Men vary in their opinions about the obligation of the Law, the nature of the Covenant of Grace, Chriſtian liberty, &c. but in this they conſent, that the things required in the Law are neceſſary to be done, though not perfectly, yet ſincerely as we can: that the Covenant of Grace is not ſo far abſolute, that men may be ſaved without faith and holineſs: that Chriſtians are not to abuſe their liberty, as an occaſion to licenciouſneſs. Now happy is he that condemns not himſelf in the things which he alloweth. In ſhort, let us pray as if all depended wholly on Gods grace, without our endeavors. Do good works, as if we were to be juſtified by them. Truſt to Gods Grace, and mercy in Chriſt, as if we had done no works at all. Live as if there were no Goſpel. Hope as if there were no Law. (I ſpeak not in reſpect of the lowneſs and ſervileneſs of our principles, but in reſpect of the diligence of our endeavours) Let us walk watchfully and cautiouſly, as if we feared falling away; yet love God, and hope in him, as if we were certain to perſevere. In ſhort, (if I may take liberty to mention ſuch names) let us pray like Calviniſts, endeavour like Arminians, act like Legaliſts, hope like Antinomians; be Papiſts in our works, Proteſtants in our Faith. Let me again add, to prevent miſtake and offence, I ſpeak not of the principles of Mens actions, but the matter and ſubſtance of them: nor of what they do in Hypotheſi, which come under ſuch diſtinguiſhing names, but, of what ſuch Mens principles do really (or at leaſt are ſuppoſed by others to) lead them to. Finally, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the ſame rule, let us mind the ſame things.
FINIS.
ERRATA.
PAge 6. line 8. read Iſa. 6. l. 11. Phil. 3.19. p. 34. l. 25. for God read Gold, p. 37. l. 6. r. Col. 3.23. p. 51. l. 15. blot out Mankind, l. 28. blot out yet, p. 53 l. 15. for them r. him, p. 58. l. 10. r. out of joyn…, p. 129. l. 15. r. foreign, p. 145. l. 9. r. Zech. 12.3. There are ſome ſmall faults in the pointing, but ſuch as will not much trouble any Reader.
End of the text · Henry Lukin, The Chief Interest of Man (1665)