24. But you say, Were it not
better that you should give me a reason, that, wherever, that shall
lead me, I may follow without any rashness? Perhaps it were: but,
it being so great a matter, that you are by reason to come to the
knowledge of God, do you think that all are qualified to understand
the reasons, by which the human soul is led to know God, or many,
or few? Few I think, you say. Do you believe that you are in the
number of these? It is not for me, you say, to answer this.
Therefore you think it is for him to believe you in this also: and
this indeed he does: only do you remember, that he hath already
twice believed you saying things uncertain; that you are unwilling
to believe him even once admonishing you in a religious spirit. But
suppose that it is so, and that you approach with a true mind to
receive religion, and that you are one of few men in such sense as
to be able to take in the reasons by which the Divine Power1735
is brought
into certain
knowledge; what? do you think that other men, who are
not endued with so serene a disposition, are to be denied
religion?
or do you think that they are to be led gradually by certain steps
unto those highest inner recesses? You see clearly which is the
more
religious. For you cannot think that any one whatever in a
case where he desires so great a thing, ought by any means to be
abandoned or
rejected. But do you not think, that, unless he do
first believe that he shall attain unto that which he purposes; and
do yield his
mind as a suppliant; and, submitting to certain great
and necessary
precepts, do by a certain course of
life thoroughly
cleanse it, that he will not otherwise attain the things that are
purely true? Certainly you think so. What, then, is the case of
those, (of whom I already believe you to be one,) who are able most
easily to receive
divine secrets by sure reason, will it, I ask, be
to them any hindrance at all, if they so come as they who at the
first believe? I think not. But yet, you say, what need to delay
them? Because although they will in no way harm themselves by what
is done, yet they will harm the
rest by the precedent. For there is
hardly one who has a just notion of his own
power: but he who has a
less notion must be roused; he who has a greater notion must be
checked: that neither the one be broken by
despair, nor the other
carried
headlong by rashness. And this is easily done, if even
they, who are able to
fly, (that they be not alluring the occasion
of any into
danger,) are forced for a short time to
walk where the
rest also may
walk with
safety. This is the forethought of true
religion: this the command of
God: this what hath been handed down
from our
blessed forefathers, this what hath been
preserved even
unto us: to wish to distrust and
overthrow this, is nothing else
than to
seek a sacrilegious way unto true
religion. And whoso do
this, not even if what they wish be granted to them are they able
to arrive at the point at which they aim. For whatever
kind of
excellent genius they have, unless
God be present, they
creep on
the ground. But He is then present, if they, who are aiming at
God,
have a regard for their fellow men. Than which step there can be
found nothing more sure Heavenward. I for my part cannot
resist
this reasoning, for how can I say that we are to believe nothing
without certain
knowledge? whereas both there can be no
friendship
at all, unless there be believed something which cannot be
proved
by some reason, and often
stewards, who are
slaves, are trusted by
their masters without any fault on their part. But in
religion what
can there be more unfair than that the
ministers1736
of
God believe us when we
promise
an unfeigned
mind, and we are
unwilling to believe them when they
enjoin us any thing. Lastly, what way can there be more healthful,
than for a man to become fitted to receive the
truth by believing
those things, which have been
appointed by God to serve for the
previous culture and treatment of the mind? Or, if you be already
altogether fitted, rather to make some little circuit where it is
safest to tread, than both to cause yourself danger, and to be a
precedent for rashness to other men?
E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
