2 tion on the subject has led me to a conclusion which you may at present think harsh,-that the real cause of infidelity lies in the heart more than in the head; in the will more than in the circumstances of the individual CONVERSATION III. EDWARD. I FEAR I have wearied both you, sir, and my sister by my former objections; but my anxiety to have my mind at rest upon all preliminary points previously to entering upon the actual examination of the evidences themselves, induced me to press the doubts I have already expressed; and for the same reason, I should wish to consider one more and very serious objection, which appears to me to lie at the threshold of all further investigation, viz. that the whole proof of Christianity depends upon the veracity of those in terested in its defence. Not all, brother. BEATRICE. EDWARD. Yes, all, directly or indirectly. It is from Christians that we have our accounts of the origin and history of Christianity. It is from them we have received the Scriptures which contain its precepts; from their hands, also, have we received the works of those who rejected this religion, and which may have been garbled to serve its cause. If even their own statement be correct, for fifteen hundred years every thing has been in their own power. Its defenders, in later ages, have been evidently interested in supporting it of those who lived at an earlier period we know nothing but through the accounts of their These defenders also have been the : successors. priests of this religion, and had therefore a further interest in maintaining it. How, then, can we rely upon any proof derived from such sources? BEATRICE. This is, indeed, a strong charge; can you overthrow it, sir? MR. B. As far as is necessary. I must, however, take it for granted that you are acquainted with what is generally believed to be the true history of Europe during the period you have alluded to. I must also beg you to give some attention to the present state of the Christian world. EDWARD. It is divided into a great number of sects, all at variance with each other. MR. B. You will not dispute, I suppose, the truth of those facts which are acknowledged by persons of all parties, infidels as well as Christians. Certainly not. EDWARD. MR. B. And, I suppose, you will acknowledge that the works generally received in the world as the productions of the persons whose names they bear, for the last three centuries at least, were really such. EDWARD. Undoubtedly; the invention of printing sets the matter at rest. MR. B. Then it is certain that never were nations more opposed to each other than many of the Christian sects have been. Could there have been any system of deception in common among those who persecuted each other to death? I should think not. EDWARD. MR. B. If there had been any system of deception kept up among the priests, would it have been concealed, notwithstanding all the martyrdoms that took place? EDWARD. No; those who were put to death by Christians would never have died in the faith of Christ had they not believed the religion of Christ to have been from Heaven. MR. B. The whole of the documents, then, on which we rely could not have been forged subsequently to the Reformation. Now, of what character were the ages which preceded it? EDWARD. They are generally called the dark ages, from the deplorable state of ignorance in which the great mass of the people were. MR. B. From the best sources of information` relative to that period, what was the character of the clergy? EDWARD. Very low indeed, both as to morals and as to intellectual attainments. MR. B. If then the documents of the period which preceded it were forged at that time, we should be compelled to believe that thousands of manuscripts were written with the most consummate art, and dispersed with the greatest care, by men. utterly unqualified for the task, and some of them containing sentiments most contradictory to the course of life they were pursuing; documents which when known must occasion the downfal of their own pretensions. EDWARD. That is wholly incredible. |