A treatise of the causes of incredulity wherein are examin'd the general motives and occasions which dispose unbelievers to reject the Christian religion : with two letters, containing a direct proof of the truth of Christianity / translated from the French of Monsieur Le Clerc.

CHAP. II. That the Immorality or Ignorance of those who sometimes shew the greatest Zeal for Religion, ought not to ren∣der it suspected to the Incredulous.

THE Christian Religion demanded not only that it should be thought true, but also that this Belief be externally profess'd, and that a Man let no Opportunity slip of shewing others by his Life and Discourse that he's firmly per∣swaded of it. 'Tis by no means a specu∣lative Science to continue lock'd up in the Memory, without bearing any Fruit out of it, and without appearing in their man∣ner of Living who are convinc'd of its Truth. It fills them with a certain Ar∣dour for the Observation of what it com∣mands, that the true Christians are easily perceiv'd to be in earnest. 'Tis this Dis∣position 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 Bride∣groom 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 ob∣serving its Injunctions, seeing this is not less essential than the Belief of its Do∣ctrines. The one and the other must be joined; for Christianity is entirely ruin'd, if those things be separated which the Au∣thor of it has united. The Reason of this is, that the Doctrines lead us to the Observation of the Precepts, being re∣veal'd to us for this end; and the Obser∣vation of the Precepts does indispensibly suppose a strong Perswasion of the Do∣ctrines.

All Christians are agreed about this Principle, and Jesus Christ and his Apo∣stles are very express about it, so that there is no necessity to prove it. Never∣theless, 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 vio∣late 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 Know∣ledg

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 Dan∣gers for this with a surprizing Courage. But these very same People who seem en∣tirely 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 re∣garding their Neighbour, they imagine themselves the best Christians in the World; and the ignorant or corrupt Mul∣titude looks upon 'em as in effect good Men. Such were in Christ's time the Pha∣risees, 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 fre∣quent 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, 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 inju∣rious

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 Christi∣an Morals, which they cannot deny, is on∣ly a fine Idea to impose the more easily up∣on 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 Opi∣nion

of the World, because this Appear∣ance of Zeal covers all Defects.

The Fact we deny not, and we may add further, that Jesus Christ and his Apo∣stles have foreseen it, by exalting that Charity which is principally violated by this false Zeal, above not only Ortho∣doxy, but even the highest Knowledg, and the Power of working Miracles it self. Not every one that cries unto me, Lord, 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 De∣vils? and in thy Name have done many won∣derful Works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from me you that work Iniquity. This is a manifest Ad∣monition which the Author of the Chri∣stian 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, 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 Car∣riage of pretended Zealots is directly con∣trary 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 In∣justice, confound some Persons Abuse of Religion with Religion it self. If any pre∣tended to have very much study'd a cer∣tain Science, and that it appear'd by some of his Discourses that he understood no∣thing of it, could it be concluded from thence that this Science was only a Chime∣ra? No body durst maintain it. But 'tis 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 ob∣serve not the most important Precepts of this Religion, 'tis 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 ve∣ry 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 Preju∣dice, from which no Consequence can be inferr'd against the Truth of the Christi∣an Religion, as it will appear by the fol∣lowing 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 Religi∣on to impose upon the Multitude, the bet∣ter 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 Religi∣on has Beauties to which they are utter Strangers. There might be also remark••d in their Dispositions some invincible Ob∣stacles to the sincere Acknowledgment of the Truth of Christianity, which is en∣tirely 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 Magi∣strates who favour them ought to use those hardly that are not of their Senti∣ments. Nay, they maintain, that with∣out 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 study••d these Proofs, and carefully examin'd all the Parts where∣of the Christian Religion is made up, find it so well grounded, its Promises so be∣coming 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 Per∣sons animated with that Spirit of Modera∣tion, whereof I spoke, and equally pressing all the Parts of Christianity, do not con∣tradict by their Actions the Doctrines they profess with their Mouths. If Reli∣gion therefore were to be judg'd of from the Conduct and Discourses of its Pro∣fessors, 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 fol∣low the Movements of their Passions, their Sentiments must not be always con∣cluded 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 Per∣swasion 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 Per∣swasion by Surprize, or the sudden Moti∣ons 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 reason∣ing 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 In∣terests and Passions of those who break 'em, as it may be remark'd in all King∣doms of the World. 'Tis just so with the Christian Religion. What causes this Contradiction between the Sentiments and Carriage of Men, besides the Reasons al∣ready alledg'd, is perhaps because they know not how to apply the general Laws to the particular Cases which happen eve∣ry day, and that they mistake the most prohibited Actions for Exceptions to the Rules. 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 Ig∣norance, and the greater as the Ignorance is grosser, furnishes the Incredulous like∣wise with another Pretence of looking up∣on 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 fre∣quently the hottest in defence of the Par∣ty 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 Ex∣amples of it. In those Sects also into which Christianity is at present divided, the Heat wherewith the ignorant Multi∣tude defend their Sentiments, and endea∣vour 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 fol∣lows not that we can reason against Chri∣stianity in the same manner. I have al∣ready 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, adds, that it was without Knowledg, and blames it ex∣ceedingly. Another says to those to whom he writes; 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 Confu∣sion and every evil Work.

This blind Zeal then is not an Effect of the Christian Religion, and cannot be rea∣sonably attributed to it; it is a Conse∣quence 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 Peo∣ple 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 Christi∣ans. The Wisdom that is from above, says the same Apostle, is first pure, then peace∣able, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of Mercy and good Fruits, without Partiality, and without Hypocrisy.

Notes

• Rom. 2.23
• Mat. 7.21.
• 1 Cor. 13.1
• Arrian up∣on Epicte∣tus, l. 3. c. 26.
• Rom. 10.2 Gal. 1.14.
• Jam. 3.14.