Sociable Letters 241 



OF DIVINITY AND DIVISION 



Madam, — You were pleased to tell me in your last 

 letter, that there was a great and earnest dispute 

 between O. G. and C. O. in divinity, as to prove many 

 things which are easier to be believed than proved; 

 for though proof makes knowledge, jret belief doth 

 not make proof; for though many thousands of men 

 believe alike one thing or things, a thousand years, 

 yet neither the number of men, nor of years, doth prove 

 it to be true, it only proves that so many men did 

 believe it for so many years. For though there be 

 many things in Nature that may be conceived, and 

 demonstrated to reason, at least, to have a proba- 

 bility in reason, but cannot be demonstrated to the 

 senses, yet the conceptions do oftener deceive, not 

 onely the reason, but the senses, than the senses do 

 the reason or conception, for though the senses may 

 and are oftentimes mistaken and deluded, yet they 

 are the most certain and surest guides and informers 

 we have. But divinity is above all sense and reason, 

 as also all demonstrations, wherefore faith is required 

 in all religions ; for what cannot be conceived or appre- 

 hended, must be believed, and if the chief pillar of 

 religion is faith, men should believe more, and dispute 

 less, for disputations do argue weakness of faith, nay, 

 they make a strong faith faint, for all disputes in 

 divinity are enemies to faith, and are apt through 

 contradictions and different opinions, to destroy 

 religion, making the thoughts and mind atheisti- 

 cal, and the words sophistical, men spending more 

 time in disputing than praying, rather striving to 

 express their wit than to increase their knowledge, 

 for Divine mysteries are beyond all natural capacity, 

 and the schoolmen have rather taught men contra- 



