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.

The CONCLUSION of the Second Part.

I Think I may conclude now (nor can Unbelievers accuse me of drawing a Consequence that extends farther than the Proofs I made use of) that nothing can be more false than to fancy that the Chri∣stian Religion is grounded upon mere Cre∣dulity: That the Ignorance or corrupt Manners of those who profess it, ought not to prejudice it in the least: That tho many profess it out of Interest for many Ages past, rather than out of Perswasion, no such thing can be suspected concerning its first Founders: That the Divisions which are among Christians ought not to make one doubt of the Truth of it: That the Gospel is very useful to the greatest part of Mankind, both in this Life and the next: That the Falsities which are to be found in the Doctrine of some Christi∣ans now, must not be ascrib'd to the Apo∣stles. Lastly, That the History of the Creation of the World, and of God's Re∣velation to Men, such as the Christians re∣present it, contains nothing but what is most agreeable to Reason, and most wor∣thy of the Wisdom of the Maker of Hea∣ven and Earth.

If Unbelievers would seriously think upon what I have said concerning those Propositions, I am perswaded that they would easily grant them; and then they might find, without any difficulty, an Answer to all their particular Objections. As soon as some undeniable Principles have been laid down, which influence all the Parts of the Christian Theology, se∣veral things, which before seem'd diffi∣cult, cease then to be so; and thus one's Knowledg may be encreas'd every day. On the contrary, the general Principles of Religion remaining uncertain or un∣known, every thing makes Men perplex'd, and the longer they live in such a State, the more the Difficulties encrease. As soon as Men have learn'd to distinguish the Religion of Christ and his Apostles from what is taught in several Parts of Europe, and the Maxims of the first Foun∣ders of Christianity, from those of many Christians of this time; they may easily perceive that a great Part of the Doctrines which they were offended at, and the Be∣haviour which they dislike, are not at all like the Doctrine of antient Christianity, or the Manners of the Primitive Christi∣ans.

The thing we treat of is not a Dispute, wherein Men only design to shew their Wit, and get the Victory, but the Que∣stion is about the Search of a Truth, the

Knowledg whereof is equally useful to both Sides: Unbelievers ought therefore to part altogether with that Spirit of Wrangling, which makes them so eager to find fault, as if they were sorry to be convinc'd that the Christian Religion con∣tains nothing that clashes with right Rea∣son. On the contrary, they should be dispos'd as those who search a Truth ne∣cessary to them, and think rather to disco∣ver it themselves, than to find some Fal∣sities in the Doctrine of those who would lead them to it, and to whom it is not perhaps well known. If those to whom they make their Application to resolve their Doubts, do not satisfy them, they ought to apply themselves to the Divines, or read the Writings of another Party, which perhaps will afford them greater Satisfaction. Nay, if no body did alto∣gether satisfy them, they would not be less bound to seek the Truth; and having known it in part, they should endeavour to go farther, if it were possible, and take care not to part with what seem'd to them certain, because they are not con∣vinc'd of the rest.

This common Sense would require from Unbelievers, if Christianity was now in so deplorable a Condition, that of all the Sects whereof it is made up, none knew it in its whole Extent, or could defend it as they ought. But Thanks be to God

we are not reduc'd to that Extremity. The Method of Reasoning about Religion, as about all other things, and the manner of explaining the Holy Scripture, were brought in the last Century, and in this, by some Christians, to such a degree of Perfection, as they never attain'd to be∣fore. Those who liv'd in the first Ages of Christianity had reason to thank God for shewing them clear a living Proofs of the Truth of the Christian Religion by the Miracles that were wrought in the sight of all Men, and the exact Knowledg they had of the History of its first Foun∣ders. If we have not the same Advan∣tages, we have at least reason to give him our Thanks for teaching us that tho the Christian Religion was founded without much Reasoning or Eloquence, for the Reasons I have alledg'd, yet the more we are able to reason well, the better we may be convinc'd of it; and that the Art of Writing according to the Rules ground∣ed on Reason, may be of great Use to set all the Beauties of the Christian Religion in their due Light. The Suspicions which those Talents might have rais'd concerning its first Founders, have no room left with respect to those who write now. There can be no better Service done to Religion than by enquiring into its Proofs with all the Exactness that we are capable of, and setting before the

Eyes of the Reader what has been disco∣ver'd, with all the Ornaments of true Eloquence Those who know the History of past Ages, are not ignorant that in ma∣ny of them false Reasonings and great Ignorance were the best Talents of the Interpreters of Religion; so that a Man who read them, was almost to part with Reason and common Sense. God be thank'd we are no more in such a Darkness! May the encrease more and more the Light we enjoy by his Grace!