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. IV. That the Divisions reigning among Chri∣stians should not hinder any from be∣lieving that the Christian Religion is true.

WE learn from Ecclesiastical Histo∣ry, that from the very Decease of the Apostles, nay and during their Lives too, the Christians begun to be divided into Parties. But it was prin∣cipally in the second Age that a world of Sects grew up which tore Christianity into pieces after a most scandalous manner; and since that time one Sect has constantly succeeded another, so that it may be said

the Christian Church was never without Divisions. What is yet worse is, that most of those Sects mutually condemn one ano∣ther. Each of them pretends that there is no Salvation for such as embrace not the Doctrines they teach. I need not enter upon Particulars, or bring distinct Proofs of these Divisions and Anathemas; for they are Matters of Fact but too well known to all the World.

From hence Unbelievers take an occa∣sion of saying that the Christian Religion is like all others, and that if it had come from Heaven, as 'tis said to do, Christians would be better agreed than they are found to be. The same God, say they, who gave it to Men, would take care to prevent those Divisions that extremely lessen the Effects of it. On the contrary, it seems to be the Apple of Discord, which no sooner appear'd in the World, but it caus'd numberless Divisions. They add, that this keeps Infidels and such as have been educated in other Religions from embracing it: for not knowing which of those Sects it is that teaches the true Chri∣stianity, and being not in a condition to examine them all, they are at a loss how to determine the Affair. They ask fur∣ther of such as write for the Truth of Christianity, as I do now, which Christi∣an Religion it is we defend; whether it be that which the Roman Church professes,

or that of any of the other Sects that make a separate Body? There is not, say they, any Christianity in general, and there∣fore you must determine for some of the Parties; which is it then you have under∣taken to defend?

There are another sort of People whose Conduct is not more prudent than that of the Incredulous, and who after another manner abuse the Divisions which reign among Christians. They say, that not being capable to examine all these diffe∣rent Sentiments, they find no Method more sure than implicitly to embrace the Religion of the Country wherein they live, since they must needs be of some Party. The Incredulous reject all the dif∣ferent Opinions of Christians, as equally ungrounded by reason of their Divisions; and such as say that without any Examina∣tion they believe the Religion of their Country, know not well themselves what they profess to believe, and are exposed to almost as much Danger of mistaking as the Incredulous: for, in short, to reject all Opinions, and to embrace, not know∣ing why, the first Opinion that offers it self, is much the same thing. At bottom the latter are not a greater Honour to Christianity than the first, seeing they both of them suppose it destitute of any Marks to distinguish it from Error or Im∣posture; therefore I thought it necessary

to examine in this Chapter the Conduct of the one and the other.

To begin with the Incredulous, and to answer their Objections in the same Order that I alledg'd them, I absolutely deny that it follows from the Divisions of Chri∣stians, that the Christian Religion is not divinely reveal'd. If the Christians could produce a Promise from the Founder of their Religion, assuring them that they should never be divided, then the Rea∣soning of the Incredulous might pretend to some Force; they could say that this Promise not being perform'd, it was a sign it did not proceed from God. But Matters are quite contrary; Jesus Christ and his Disciples considering the Disposi∣tions of Men, and foreseeing likewise fu∣ture Events, have clearly prophesy'd of the Divisions that should spring up among Christians. Suppose you, says Jesus Christ, that I am come to give Peace on Earth?* 1.1 I tell you, nay; but rather Division: For from henceforth there shall be five in one House di∣vided, three against two, and two against three, &c. There must be Heresies among you,* 1.2 says St. Paul, that they which are ap∣prov'd may be also made manifest among you. Here are express Words signifying that Jesus Christ and his Apostles were not ig∣norant of the Divisions, which the Chri∣stian Religion ill understood, or rather the Passions of Men would occasion among Christians.

But some may say, that it is a thing un∣worthy of a Religion reveal'd from Hea∣ven to cause so many Divisions, especially having such fatal Effects. I grant this, if it be supposed that this Religion does of it self inspire the Spirit of Division and Dis∣order; but if it be only the innocent oc∣casion of them, there can be no ill Conse∣quence drawn from hence against it. Now it cannot be doubted, but that Christiani∣ty is directly opposite to the Divisions of Christians, since Jesus Christ presses no Commandment so strongly as that of our loving one another,* 1.3 and consequently of living peaceably one towards another. Every one knows this. Christ however knew so perfectly the Heart of Man, that he saw very well the new Command of loving one another, which he left his Disciples, should not be well obey'd; and that his Doctrine, as peaceable as it was, would frequently serve for a Pretence to the Passions of Men in occasioning infinite Broils; so that if his Design were to be explain'd by the Event, it might be cer∣tainly said he came to bring Divisions on the Earth. This is the Sense of those Words I cited a little above.

But what, some will say? Does it not seem a thing becoming God, for the Ho∣nour of Religion and for the Good of Men, to prevent its producing any Disorders, not even by Accident? No surely, God

ought not to intervene by the extraordi∣nary Effects of his Power to keep the Peace among Christians. The Reason of this is, that his Design, as it appears both by Revelation and the thing it self, was by no means to bring Men, at least ordi∣narily, to his Obedience by Miracles of this nature; but only by Laws to which he fix'd Rewards and Punishments, as I have already said in* 1.4 another Place. This is what St. Paul hinted to in one word in that Passage I cited before, when he says, That there must be Heresies, that they which are approved may be also made manifest. This plainly signifies that if God by extraordi∣nary means would hinder all Divisions about his Doctrine among Christians, it should be no longer a Vertue to remain stedfast on the good side, or to quit the bad in order to join it. Those who love the Truth, and keep to it out of Choice and Knowledg, would be confounded with those who should embrace it without knowing why, and who are as ready to embrace an Error, were they taught it. The constant Profession of the Truth could not expect any Reward, since it would not be in any ones Power to forsake it. In a word, it would be superfluous to propose any Laws at all to Men, since it could not be in their Power to violate them; for God, according to our Adver∣saries Supposition, would prevent this by his Omnipotency.

But it will be said perhaps that a wise Legislator who foresees that his Laws may be ill understood, or cause Division should he express them obscurely, would take care to use very clear Expressions; and that God, who foresees all things, ought by Consequence to express his Will in so clear a manner as to prevent all the Dis∣putes which we see now among Christians. To this I answer, that God has express'd himself plainly enough in the Writings of the Apostles, especially about what is ne∣cessary to be believ'd, hop'd, and done, to obtain Salvation according to the Laws of the Gospel; and that there would be no Disputes about Necessaries if Men did con∣tent themselves with the Scripture-Noti∣ons. What made Divisions spring among Christians are the Additions and ill-drawn Consequences, and not the Text of the New Testament. Such as look in it only for the Truth, they easily find this, and are never deceiv'd about any thing essential; but those who would find therein what vain Subtlety and humane Interests or Passions have added to it, are apt, I con∣fess, to be deceived every moment. In a word, to all sincere Persons who love the Truth preferably to every other thing, the Gospel is as clear as the Sun, and can∣not occasion any considerable Dispute: But to Men govern'd by their Passions, and conceited of their Prejudices, the most

evident things in the World are obscure. There is no Law so clear, but a Wrang∣ler may raise a thousand Difficulties about it; and if a Legislator should not pass for a wise Man, except he expresly prevented all possible Difficulties, and mark'd all the Cases wherein ill-disposed Persons would abuse his Laws, there had never been any Legislator to whom any Wisdom could be attributed. None ever undertook to per∣form such a thing, because then they would be oblig'd to write an infinite Number of Volumes, to which something new must be added every Moment, since there might happen infinite Cases every day. There∣fore if God had design'd to prevent all those Controversies already mov'd, or that shall hereafter arise about the Sense of Revelation, and rejected by Name all pos∣sible Errors, he must have made so great a Number of Volumes, that, to use St. John's Expression, the World could not con∣tain them, and their Multitude would ren∣der them useless.

For proof that the clearest Laws, and the most proper to prevent all sorts of Disorders, become obscure to such as are not dispos'd to observe them; we need only call to mind what is already said of the Charity to be us'd towards those who are in an Error about any Article of Re∣ligion. It was not possible to speak more clearly or effectually upon this Head than

the Apostles have done: and nevertheless the most part of Christians practise at this time what they ought to have done if they had said just the contrary. Thus they dispute about the Sense of the Reve∣lation, rather because they are blinded by Prejudices, and willing to dispute, than because it is in it self obscure with regard to necessary Doctrines; and God was not oblig'd by any means to condemn expresly all possible Errors to prevent Disputes, as I have now shewn.

The Divisions that are among Christ∣ans, should not hinder the Incredulous or Infidels from giving them the hearing when they exhort them to embrace the Christian Religion. The Reason of this is, that all Christians, notwithstanding their Divisions, are agreed about certain Articles, by the Examination whereof Unbelievers must necessarily begin; and not by those particular Controversies which divide Christians. All Christians are agreed about the Creation of the World, about Revelation in general, the moral Precepts of the Gospel, with the Rewards and Punishments annex'd to them. They agree likewise about the History of the Gospel, the Divine Mission of Jesus Christ and his Apostles, the Re∣surrection, and last Judgment. These are the things they undertake to prove first, when they deal with Infidels or Unbelie∣vers;

and this is what with common Con∣sent they call the Principles of Christia∣nity, which they prove all with like Rea∣sons.

'Tis just with Religion as with several other Sciences in which the Learned are not less divided. There are very great Disputes, for example, among the Physi∣cians, about the Causes of Diseases, the Virtues of Remedies, and the way of applying them; but, maugre all their Contests, there are certain things where∣in in they all agree. In Anatomy, in the Description of the Symptoms of Diseases, in the Knowledg of Simples, and in Chy∣mistry there are a thousand things where∣of no body doubts, and which are the most important Parts of Physick, with which a Learner of this Science must first begin. And 'tis so, as I have already said, with the different Sects of Christia∣nity. As the Diversity in the Opinions of Physicians keeps none that has a mind to it from examining the Principles of their Art; so the Difference of Senti∣ments in Religion cannot discourage the Lovers of Truth: and indeed, as we have shewn in the first Part, they are other sorts of Motives which take off the Incre∣dulous from examining it.

What I have call'd the Principles of Chri∣stianity, is the same thing with what we may name, Christianity in general. Altho

there be no Christian Society that com∣prehends all its Belief within those Ideas only about which all Christians are agreed; yet this hinders not but that those Ideas may include the fundamental Doctrines of Christianity, and that we must be deter∣min'd about these before we examine any particular Doctrine of those Societies which profess our Religion. This is also what I undertake to defend in this Work, and from the Truth or Falshood whereof depends all the rest. If it be acknow∣ledg'd, for instance, that these general Doctrines are true, we must then examine in what Society they are most purely taught: but were they found to be false, then we needed not examine any particular Sect; seeing that all defending the same ge∣neral Principles, if they were not true, then all the Sects would be all equally false.

It is manifest then that the Divisions of Christians ought not to be any Prejudice against Christianity in general, nor hinder the Incredulous from examining it. Nor is it less certain that they cannot take any Person off from this Examen, that has a mind to embrace any one Sect. The Di∣visions indeed render this Disquisition somewhat difficult, but by no means im∣possible. I shall be told, no doubt, that this is true with respect to Men of Letters or understanding Persons; but the Questi∣on is, what the ignorant Populace must

do in these Divisions? As they are com∣monly judg'd incapable of this Disquisiti∣on; so the surest way for them, some think, is to engage with the first Party that offers it self.

To this I answer, first, That to pass for a good Christian one must know, at least, those general Principles we spoke of. If there be People so stupid as to compre∣hend nothing of 'em, tho otherwise Men of good Morals, we leave the Disposal of them to God; but, as I said in another Place, they differ very little from the Sa∣vages of America or Africa.

Secondly, If such as have Parts enough to comprehend the Principles of the Chri∣stian Religion, and Vertue enough to frame their Morals according to this Mo∣del, are not able however to take Cogni∣zance of those Differences which divide Christians; it is not very difficult to de∣termine what they must do both in Equity and Prudence. They ought not to judg of what they do not understand. They ought neither to approve or condemn any Party concerning the Doctrines in Dis∣pute. He that requires more of them, makes them pass the Limits of their Un∣derstanding, and obliges them to form an unjust and hasty Judgment. While they find themselves uncapable to receive true Information of the Reasons on all sides, or to distinguish certainly which is in the

wrong, they ought to suspend their Judg∣ments about Controversies. 'Tis a Rule authoriz'd by common Sense not to judg of what we do not understand; nor can we believe, without renouncing common Sense, that God would have any body ac∣quiesce without good Reasons for it. St. Paul tells us,* 1.5 that whatever is not of Faith (or Perswasion) is Sin; that is, that be∣fore we resolve to act in point of Religi∣on (for this is what he there treats of) we must be perswaded that we are in the right: but this we cannot be, unless we evidently know why.

It will be said perhaps that God may be pleas'd with this Cautiousness and Mode∣ration, but that Men will not bear it, since they commonly oblige those that live in the same Society with them to declare for all their Doctrines. Notwithstanding whatever is requir'd of Men, it is cer∣tain that they keep to this Wariness whereof I spoke; because they are luc∣kily uncapable of understanding such Controversies as divide Christians; altho they easily comprehend the Ground of Christianity, which is suted to all sorts of Capacities that are not quite destitute of their reasoning Faculty about what makes no Impression upon the Senses. Those People giving little Attention to what they do not understand, apply themselves wholly to what they comprehend. Thus

they leave their Controversies to Divines, whilst they mind only the Essentials of Christianity. Such as are not more know∣ing, and yet venture further in their Opi∣nions, and act accordingly, do judg and act manifestly against common Prudence and natural Equity. To imagine that God would have any Regard to so unreasona∣ble a Conduct, is to extinguish the most certain Light of Reason or Religion.

In the third place, If it be suppos'd that such as cannot enter into the Detail of Controversies have nevertheless a little more Knowledg than those I have de∣scrib'd, then they may easily determine themselves after this manner, without running any risk at all. By reading Con∣fessions of Faith they may learn wherein all Parties in Christendom agree, and take that for the Foundation and Ground of Religion; because it is not likely that so many different Parties who dispute so ea∣gerly against one another, should agree in acknowledging certain Heads as the true Doctrines of Christianity, if they were not such in effect. By the different Parties of Christendom I understand not all the Sects that ever have been, but such as subsist at this time. The greatest Part of the old Sects are unknown to us; and if we may judg of them by what we read in History, most of them did maintain such extravagant Positions, or led such shame∣ful

Lives, that it was no difficult thing to discover their Errors. If to this they add the reading of the New Testament, they will be entirely confirm'd in this Point. But if after all this any would oblige them to approve or condemn beyond what they understand, or what they learnt in the New Testament, and from the unani∣mous Consent of all Christians, they may desire to be rightly inform'd concerning those things. And if such Informations be so obscure that they cannot understand them, after all possible Application on their part; or if they plainly perceive that they are repugnant to that general Idea of Christianity which they found be∣fore, then they cannot look upon them but as false or suspected, or at least as unnecessary. But if they be not per∣mitted to judg according to their Know∣ledg, nor to search after Truth, they must retire into those Places where they may freely do it, rather than to live against the Light of their Consci∣ences.

I shall not enlarge more upon this Sub∣ject; and 'tis an easy Task to infer from what I have here said the necessary Conse∣quences to answer all Questions that may be made hereupon. It is sufficient for me rightly to conclude, that the Divisions of Christians cannot engage a reasonable Per∣son either implicitely to embrace the first

Party that offers it self, or to reject all the Christian Religion.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Luke 12.51.
• * 1.2

  1 Cor. 11.19.
• * 1.3

  John 13.33, 34. & 15.12, 17, &c.
• * 1.4

  Part 1. Ch. 3.
• * 1.5

  Rom. 14.23.