The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1884-06-04
The Agnostics.

Archbishop Tillotson's reasoning with
the Roman Catholics is singularly appli-
cable to the Agnostics of the present day.
When they said that the grounds for
believing in Christianity were insufficient
till confirmed by the authority of the
Fathers and the Church, he admitted the
insuficienoy. The degree of evidence for
the Christian system is not overwhelm-
ing-not even a5undant-not so great as
the inherent evidence which the princi-
pies of natural religion carry with them.
These latter will not allow themselves to
be denied for they spring up from the
depths of our moral being, and carry with
them a certainty which commands assent.
But Christianity, inasmuch as it calls for
balancing arguments and estimating rea-
sons, cannot possess the certainty of ma
tural religion nor is it desirable that it
should. 1t is no exercise of the higher
reason to believe what compels our
assent. There is no test of the moral
honesty of our nature in believing the
indubitable. Scripture does not defy
the doubter to find single point to stand
on. God has done in grace what he does
in nature. He has mingled light and
shade. He has attended to " the balaAc-
ing of the clouds" as well as to the going
forth of the light. He has avoided max
ing the evidence of Christianity so great
as to flash conviction upon all independ-
emily of their bringing candid eye to
see it. He has left as much mystery as
will elicit according to our character)
adoring submission or irritated denial
The question then, according to Tillotson,
becomes: What am, l, as a reasonable
man, to do? l find Christianity lying in
my way. 1 find as good reason to believe
IN its coming from God and deserving my
belief, as | usually have for anything
which | believe. AS one who is ac-
customed to accept the probable, I am
bound to embrace this. My eternal in
terests are so important to me, that such
probability as it possesses is enhanced in
value by the issues which hang on it.
Christianity is at least too probable for
me to risk denying it, considering what
follows Off it turns out true) to unbeliev-
ers. A healthy-minded, honest hearted,
single-eyed man will, therefore, believe
In Christianity and feel that this is GER
tainly enough. Such was the calm, com
nonsense style of reasoning adopted by
Tillotson. 1t is singnlarly applicable to
Agnostics. They demand more certainty
than God has been pleased to give; more
than would be wholesome for man to re-
ceive; more than would allow the free
play of reason to act; more than would
be consistent with free will. They de-
mand what would extinguish all possible
denial. They say the arguments for
Christianity do not convince them. We
reply Do you dare to dictate to God
what amount of evidence He ought to
connect with His declared will to man
Will you not rather make a good use OF
what He has given than complain that it
is so little We beseech you to remem-
Der the weighty and solemn aphorism OF
the great Pascal, found in his " Thoughts"
There is as much light in Scripture as
will satisfy those who love the light, and
as much darkness as will satisfy those
who love the darkness"