or Gentilifm, in fpite of their prejudices, to chriflianity, is not their teftimony fo much the ftronger? You have then the fuffrages of both Jews and Gentiles, attefting to the truth of our religion, in the earlieft ages. But to expect or defire the atteftation of Jews remaining Jews, or of Gentiles remaining Gentiles, feems unreafonable: Nor can it be imagined that the teftimony of men, who were not converted themfelves, mould be the likelieft to convert others. We have indeed, the teftimony of hea- then writers to prove, That about the time of our Saviour's birth, there was a general expectation in the eaft, of a Mejfiah, or prince, who mould found a new dominion: That there were fuch people as chriftians: That they were cruelly perfecuted, and put to death: That they were innocent and holy in life, and worftiip: And that there did really exift in that time, certain perfons, and fa&s mentioned in the New Teftament: And for other points, we have learned fathers, feveral of whom had been, as I already obferved, bred heathens, to atteft their truth.
Alc — For my part, I have no great opinion of the capacity or learning of the fathers, and many learned men, efpecially of the reformed churches abroad, are of the fame mind, which faves me the trouble of looking myfelf, into their voluminous writings.
Cri. — I (hall not take upon me to fay, with the Minute Philofopher, Pomponatius,* that Origen, Bafil, Augujline, and divers other fathers, were equal to Plato, Arijlotle, and the greateft of the Gentiles, in human knowledge. But, if I may be allowed to make a judgment from what I have feen of their writings, I mould think feveral of them men of great parts, eloquence, and learning, and much fuperior to thofe who feem to undervalue them. Without any affront to certain modern critics, or tranfla- tors, Erafmus may be allowed a man of fine tafte, and a * Lib. d% immorulitate animas, [Dial. VI.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 31^ fit judge of fenfe and good writing, though his judgment in this point was very different from theirs. Some of our reformed brethren, becaufe the Romanijls attribute too much, feem to have attributed too little to them, from a very ufual, though no very judicious oppofition: Which is apt to lead men to remark defects, without making proper allowances, and to fay things which neither piety, candor, nor good fenfe require them to fay.
XXVIII. Alc. — But though I fhould acknowledge, that a concurring teflimony of many learned and able men throughout the firft ages of chriftianity may have its weight, yet when I confider the great number of forgeries and herefies that fprung up in thofe times, it very much weak- ens their credit.
Cri.— Pray, Alciphron> would it be allowed a good ar- gument in the mouth of a papift againft the reformation, that many abfurd feels fprung up at the fame time with it? Are we to wonder, that when good feed is fowing, the enemy mould fow tares? But at once to cut off fever- al objections, let us fuppofe in fact, what you do not de- ny poflible, that there is a God, a devil, and a revelation from heaven committed to writing many centuries ago. Do but take a view of human nature, and confider, what would probably follow upon fuch a fuppofition: And whether it is not very likely, there fhould be half-believers, miftaken bigots, holy frauds, ambitious, interefled, dif- puting, conceited, fchifmatical, heretical, abfurd men among the profefiors of fuch revealed religion, as well as after a courfe of ages, various readings, omiffions, tranf- pofitions, and obfeurities in the text of the facred oracles? And if fo, I leave you to judge, whether it be reafona- ble to make thofe events an objection againft the being of a thing, which would probably and naturally follow upon the fuppofal of its being.
Alc. — After all, fay what you will, this variety of opinions muft needs (hake the faith of a reafonable man.
32« MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. VI.]
Where there are fo many different opinions on the fame point, it is very certain they cannot all be true, but it is certain they may all be falfe. And the means to find out the truth! When a man of fenfe fets about this inquiry, he finds himfelf on a fudden, ftartled and amufed with hard words and knotty queftions. This makes him aban- don the purfuit, thinking the game not worth the chace.
Cri. — But would not this man of fenfe do well to con- fider, it muft argue want of difcernment, to reject divine truths for the fake of human follies? Ufe but the fame candor and impartiality in treating of religion, that you would think proper on other fubje£ts. We defire no more, and expect no lefs. In law, in phyfic, in politics, where- ever men have refined, is it not evident they have been al- ways apt to run into difputes and chicane? But will that hinder you from admitting there are many good rules, and juft notions, and ufeful truths in all thofe profeffions. Phyficians may difpute, perhaps vainly and unintelligibly, about the animal fyftem: They may aflign different cau- fes of diftempers, fome explaining them by the elementa- ry qualities, hot and cold, moifl and dry, others by chy- mical, others by mechanical principles: Yet this doth not hinder but the bark may be good for an ague, and rhu- barb for a flux. Nor can it be inferred from the differ- ent fects, which, from time to time, have fprung up in that profeffion, the dogmatic, for inftance, empiric, me- thodic, galenic, paracelfian, or the hard words, and knotty queftions, and idle theories, which have grown from them, or been ingrafted on them, that therefore we fhould deny the circulation of the blood, or reject their excellent rules about exercife, air, and diet.
Alc — It feems you would fcreen religion by the ex- ample of other profeffions, all which have produced fe&s and difputes as well as chriftianity, which according to you may in itfelf, be true and ufeful, notwithstanding [Dial. VI.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 321 many falfe and {ruitlefs notions ingrafted on it, by the wit of man. But certainly if this had been obferved, or believed by many acute reafoners, they would never have made the multiplicity of religious opinions, and contro- verfies, an argument againft religion in general.
Crt. — How fuch an obvious truth fhould efcape men of fenfe and inquiry, I leave you to account: But I can very eafily account for grofs miftakes in thofe, who pafs for free-thinkers, without ever thinking: Or, if they do think, whofe meditations are employed on other points of a very different nature, from a ferious and impartial inqui- ry about religion.
XXIX. But to return: What, or where is the profef- (ion of men, who never fplit into fchifms, or never talk nonfenfe? Is it not evident, that, out of all the kinds of knowledge, on which the human mind is employed, there grow certain excrefcences, which may be pared off like the clippings of hair, or nails in the body, and with no worfe confequence. Whatever bigots or enthufiafts, whatever notional or fcholaftic divines may fay or think, it is certain, the faith derived from Chrift, and his apof- tles, was not a piece of empty fophiflry: They did not deliver and tranfmit down to us kenen apaten gumnen gnomen to ufe the expreffion of a holy confeffor.* And to pretend to demolifh their foundation for the fake of human fuperftruc- ture, be it hay or ftubble, or what it will, is no argument of juft thought or reafon; any more than it is of fairnefs, to fup- pofe a doubtful fenfe fixed, and argue from one fide of the queftion in difputed points. Whether, for inftance, the beginning of Gene/is is to be underftood in a literal or allegorical fenfe? Whether the book of Job be an hiflory or a parable? Being points difputed between chriflians, an infidel can have no right to argue from one fide of the * Socr. Hiftor. Ecclef. 1.
R r 322 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. VI.]
queftion in thofe, or the like cafes. This or that tenet of a feci:, this or that controverted notion is not what we contend for at prefent, but the general faith, taught by Chrift and his apoftles, and preferved by univerfal and perpetual tradition, in all the churches down to our own times. To tax or ftrike at this divine doctrine, on account of things foreign and adventitious, the fpeculations and difputes of curious men, is in my mind, an abfurdity of the fame kind, as it would be to cut down a fine tree, yielding fruit and (hade, becaufe its leaves afforded nour- ishment to caterpiliers, or becaufe fpiders may now and then weave cobwebs among the branches.
Alc. — To divide and diftinguifh would take time. We have feveral gentlemen very capable of judging in the grofs, but that want attention for irkfome and dry ftudies or minute inquiries. To which, as it would be very hard to oblige men againft their will, fo it mull be a great wrong to the world, as well as themfelves, to debar them from the right of deciding according to their natural fenfe of things.
Cri. — It were to- be wiflied thofe capable men would employ their judgment and attention on the fame objects. If theological inquires are unpalatable, the field of nature is wide. How many difcoveries to be made! How ma- ny errors to be corrected in arts and fciences! How many vices to be reformed in life and manners! Why do men fingle out fuch points as are innocent and ufeful, when there are fo many pernicious miftakes to be amended? Why fet themfelves to deftroy the hopes of human kind and encouragements to virtue? Why delight to judge where they difdain to inquire 2 Why not employ their no- ble talents on the longitude or perpetual motion?
Alc. — I wonder you would not fee the difference be- tween points of curiofity and religion. Thofe employ only men of a genius or humor fuited to them: But all [Dial. VI.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 323 mankind have a right to cenfure, and are concerned to judge of thefe, except they will blindly fubmit to be gov- erned, by the dale wifdom of their anceftors and the ef- tablifhed laws of their country.
Cri. — It mould feem, if they are concerned to judge, they are not lefs concerned to examine before they judge.
Alc — But after all the examination, and inquiry, that mortal man can make about revealed religion, it is im- poflible to come at any rational fure footing. Strange things are told us, and in proof thereof, it is faid, that men have laid down their lives. But it may be eafily conceived, and hath been often known, that men have died for the fake of opinions, the belief of which, wheth- er right or wrong, had once pofTefTed their minds.
Cri. — I grant you may find inftances of men dying for falfe opinions which they believed. But can you aflign an inftance of a man's dying for the fake of an opinion, which he did not believe. This cafe is inconceivable: And yet this muft have been the cafe, if the witnefles of ChrifrVs miracles and refurre&ion are fuppofed impof- tors.
XXX. There is, indeed, a deal of fpecious talk about faith, founded upon miracles: But when I examine this matter thoroughly, and trace chriftian faith up to its origin- al, I find it refts upon much darknefs, and fcruple, and uncertainty. Inftead of points evident or agreeable to hu- man reafon, I find a wonderful narrative of the Son of God tempted in the wildernefs by the devil, a thing ut- terly unaccountable, without any end, or ufe, or reafon whatfoever. I meet with ftrange hiftories of apparitions of angels and voices from heaven, with furprifing accounts- of demoniacs, things quite out of the road of common fenfe or obfervation, with feveral incredible feats, faid to have been done by divine power, but more probably the inventions of men: Nor the lefs likely to be fo, bccaufe 324 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. VI.]
I cannot pretend to fay with what view, they were invent- ed. Defigns deeply laid are dark, and the lefs we know, the more we fufpecl: But, admitting them for true, I fhall not allow them to be miraculous, until I thoroughly know the power of what are called fecond caufes and the force of magic.
Cri.— You feem, Alciphron, to analyfe not faith, but infidelity, and trace it to its principles; which, from your own account, I collecl: to be dark and doubtful fcruples and furmifes, haftinefs in judging, and narrownefs in thinking, grounded on a fanciful notion, which over-rates the little fcantling of your own experience, and on real ignorance of the views of Providence, and of the quali- ties, operations, and mutual refpe£ts of the feveral kinds of beings, which are, or may be, for ought you know, in the univerfe. Thus obfcure, uncertain, conceited, and conjectural are the principles of infidelity. Whereas, on the other hand, the principles of faith feem to me, points plain and clear. It is a clear point, that this faith in Chrift was fpread abroad throughout the world foon after his death. It is a clear point, that this was not effected by human learning, politics, or power. It is a clear point, that in the early times of the church, there were feveral men of knowledge and integrity, who embraced this faith, not from any, but againft all temporal motives. It is a clear point, that, the nearer they were to the fountain- head, the more opportunity they had to fatisfy themfelves as to the truth of thofe fa£ts, which they believed. It is a clear point, that the lefs intereft there was to perfuade, the more need there was of evidence to convince them. It is a clear point, that they relied on the authority of thofe, who declared themfelves eye-witneiTes of the mira- cles and refurreclion of Chrift. It is a clear point, that thofe profefied eye-witnefies fuffered much for this, their atteftation, and finally feded it with their blood. It is a [Dial. VI.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. • 325 clear point, that thefe witnefTes, weak and contemptible as they were, overcame the world, fpread more light, preached purer morals, and did more benefit to mankind, than all the philofophers and fages put together. Thefe points appear to me clear and fure, and, being allowed fuch, they are plain, juft, and reafonable motives of af- fent: They ftand upon no fallacious ground, they contain nothing beyond our fphere, neither fuppofmg more knowl- edge, nor other faculties, than we are really mafters of: And if they mould not be admitted for morally certain, as I believe they will, by fair and unprejudiced inquirers, yet the allowing them to be only probable, is fufficient to flop tlie mouth of an infidel. Thefe plain points, I fay, are the pillars of our faith, and not thofe obfeure ones, by you fuppt>fed, which are in truth, the unfound, uncertain principles of infidelity, to a rafh, prejudiced, and affum- ing fpirit. To raife an argument, or anfwer an objection, from hidden powers of nature or magic, is groping in the dark: But by the evident light of fenfe, men might be fufficiently certified of fenfible effects, and matters of fa£t, fuch as the miracles and refurre&ion of Chrift: And the teftimony of fuch men might be transmitted to afterages, with the fame moral certainty, as other hiftorical narrations: And thofe fame miraculous fads, compared by reafon with the doctrines they were brought to prove, may afford to an unbiafled mind, flrong indications of their coming from God, or a fuperior principle, whofe good- nefs retrieved the moral world, whofe power commanded the natural, and whofe Povidence extended over both. — Give me leave to fay, that nothing dark, nothing incom- prehenfible, or myfterious, or unaccountable, is the ground or motive, the principle or foundation, the proof or rea- fon of our faith, although it may be the object of it. For it muft be owned, that, if by clear and fure princi- ples, we are rationally led to believe a point lefs clear; wc 326 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. VI.]
do not, therefore, reject fuch point, becaufe it is myfte- rious to conceive, or difficult to account for; nor would it be right fo to do. As for Jews and Gentiles, ancient- ly attributing our Saviour's miracles to magic, this is fo far from being a proof againft them, that to me it feems, rather a proof of the facts, without difproving the caufe to which we afcribe them. As we do not pretend to know the nature and operations of demons, the hiftory, laws, and fyftem of rational beings, and the fchemes or views of Providence, fo far as to account for every action and appearance, recorded in the gofpel: So neither do you know enough of thofe things, to be able from that knowledge of yours, to object againfl accounts fo well attefted. It is an eafy matter to raife fcruples upon many authentic parts of civil hiftory, which, requir- ing a more perfect knowledge of facts, circumftances, and councils, than we can come at to explain them, muft be to us inexplicable. And this is ftill more eafy, with refpect to the hiftory of nature; in which, if furmifes were admitted for proofs againft things odd, ftrange, and unaccountable; if our fcanty experience were made the rule and meafure of truth, and all thofe phenomena rejected, that we, through ignorance of the principles, and laws, and fyftem of nature, could not explain; we mould indeed make difcoveries, but it would be only of our own blindnefs and prefumption. And why, that men are fo eafily and fo often gravelled in common points, in things natural and vifible, mould yet be fo fharp-fighted and dogmatical about the invifible world, and its myfte- ries, is to me a point utterly unaccountable by all the rules of logic and good fenfe. Upon the whole, there- fore, I cannot help thinking that there are points, fuffi- ciently plain, and clear, and full, whereon a man may ground a reafonable faith in Chrift: But that the attacks of Minute Philosophers, againft this faith, are grounded upon darknefs, ignorance and prefumption.
[Dial. VI.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 327 Alc. — I doubt I fhall (till remain in the dark, as to the proofs of the chriftian religion, and always prefume there is nothing in them.
XXXI. For how is it poflible, at this remote diftance, to arrive at any knowledge, or frame any demonftration about it?
Cri. — What then? Knowledge, I grant, in a ftri& fenfe, cannot be had without evidence, or demonftra- tion: but probable arguments are a fufficient ground of faith. Who ever fuppofed that fcientifical proofs are neceffary to make a chriftian? Faith alone is required, and, provided that, in the main, and upon the whole, men are perfuaded, this faving faith may confift with fome degrees of obfcurity, fcruple, and error. For, al- though the light of truth be unchangeable, and the fame in its eternal fource, the father of lights: Yet, with refpect to us, it is varioufly weakened and obfcured, by palling through a long diftance, or grofs medium, where it is intercepted, diftorted, or tin&ured by the prejudi- ces and paflions of men. But, all this, notwithstanding, he that will ufe his eyes, may fee enough for the pur- pofes, either of nature or of grace; though by a light dimmer indeed, or clearer, according to the place, or the diftance, or the hour, or the medium. And it will be fufHcient, if fuch analogy appears between the difpenfa- tions of grace and nature, as may make it probable (although much fhould be unaccountable in both) to fup- pofe them derived from the fame author, and the work- manfhip of one, and the fame hand.
Alc— Thofe who faw, and touched, and handled Jefus Chrift after his refurre&ion, if there were any fuch, may be faid to have feen by a clear light: But to us, the light is very dim, and yet it is expected we (hould believe this point as well as they. For my part, I believe with 3i8 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. VI.]
Spinofiy that Chrift's death was literal, but his rcfurrec- tion allegorical. * Cri. — And for my part, I can fee nothing in this cel- ebrated infidel, that fhculd make me defert matters of fac~r, and moral evidence, to adopt his notions. Though I muft needs own, I admit an allegorical refurrre£fcion, that proves the real: to wit, a refurre&ion of ChrifVs difci- ples from weaknefs to refolution, from fear to courage, from defpair to hope: of which, for ought I can fee, no rational account can be given, but the fenfible evidence, that our Lord was truly, really, and literally rifen from the dead: But as it cannot be denied, that his difciples, who were eye-witnefTes of his miracles and refurre&ion, had flronger evidence than we can have of thefe points: So it cannot be denied, that fuch evidence was then more necefTary, to induce men to embrace a new inftitution, contrary to the whole fyftem of their education, their prejudices, their paflions, their interefts, and every hu- man motive. Though to me it feems, the moral evidence and probable arguments within our reach, are abundantly fufficient to make prudent, thinking men, adhere to the faith, handed down to us from our anceftors, eftablifhed by the laws of our country, requiring fubmiflion in points above our knowledge, and for the reft, recommending doctrines, the moft agreeable to our intcreft, and our reafon. And, however ftrong the light might have been at the fountain-head, yet its long continuance and propa- gation, by fuch unpromifing inftruments throughout the world, have been very wonderful. We may now take a more comprehenfive view of the connexion, order, and progrefs of the divine difpenfations, and by a retrofpe£fc on a long feries of part ages, perceive a unity of defign, running throughout the whole, a gradual difclofing, and fufilling the purpofes of Providence, a regular progrefs * Vid- Spinofae EpLft. ad Oldenburgium.
[Dial. VI.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 329 from types to anti-types, from things carnal to things fpiritual, from earth to heaven. We may behold Chrifi crucified, that ftumbling-block to the Jews, and fooliih- nefs to the Greeks, putting a final period to the temple worfhip of the one, and idolatry of the other, and that ftone, which was cut out of the mountain without hands, and brake in pieces all other kingdoms, become itfelf a great mountain.
XXXII. If a due reflexion on thefe things be not fuf- ficient to beget a reverence for the chriftian faith in the minds of men, I fhould rather impute it to any other caufe, than a wife and cautious incredulity: "When I fee their eafinefs of faith in the common concerns of life, where there is no prejudice or appetite to bias or difturb their natural judgment: When I fee thofe very men that, in religion, will not ftir a ftep without evidence, and at every turn expect demonftration, truft their health to a phyfician, and their lives to a failor, with an implicit faith, I cannot think they deferve the honor of being thought more incredulous than other men: Or that they are more accuftomed to know, and for this reafon lefs inched to believe. On the contrary, one is tempted to fufpecl:, that ignorance hath a greater fhare than fcience in our modern infidelity: And that it proceeds more from a wrong head, or an irregular will, than from deep refearches.
Lys. — We do not, it muft be owned, think that learn- ing, or deep refearches, are neceflary to pafs a right judg- ment upon things. I fometimes fufpecl: that learning is apt to produce and juftify whims, and fmcerciy believe we fhould do better without it. Our feci: are divided on this point, but much the greater part think with me. I have heard more than once, very obferving men remark, that learning was the true human means which prefervcd religion in the world: And that, if we had it in our power to prefer blockheads in the church, all would foon be right, S s 33o MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial* VI] Cri. — Men mu(t be ftrangely in love with their opin- ions, to put out their eyes rather than part with them. But it has been often remarked by obferving men, that there are no greater bigots than infidels.
Lys. — What! A free-thinker, and a bigot, impoffible!
Cri. — Not fo impoffible neither, that an infidel mould be bigoted to his infidelity. Methinks I fee a bigot, wherever I fee a man over-bearing, and pofitive without knowing why, laying the greateft ftrefs on points of fmall- cft moment, hafty to judge of the confcience, thoughts, and inward views of other men, impatient of reafoning againft his own opinions, and choofing them with incli- nation rather than judgment, an enemy to learning, and attached to mean authorities. How far our modern infi- dels agree with this description, I leave to be confidered by thofe who really confider and think for themfelves.
Lys. — We are no bigots, we are men that difcover diffi- culties in religion, that tie knots and raife fcruples, which difturb the repofe, and interrupt the golden dreams of bigots, who therefore cannot endure us.