This inability ought, then, to serve only to humble reason, which would judge all, but not to impugn our certainty, as if only reason were capable of instructing us.  Would to God, on the contrary, that we had never need of it, and that we knew everything by instinct and intuition!  But nature has refused us this boon.  On the contrary, she has given us but very little knowledge of this kind; and all the rest can be acquired only by reasoning.

Therefore, those to whom God has imparted religion by intuition are very fortunate, and justly convinced.  But to those who do not have it, we can give it only by reasoning, waiting for God to give them spiritual insight, without which faith is only human, and useless for salvation.

283

Order.—­Against the objection that Scripture has no order.

The heart has its own order; the intellect has its own, which is by principle and demonstration.  The heart has another.  We do not prove that we ought to be loved by enumerating in order the causes of love; that would be ridiculous.

Jesus Christ and Saint Paul employ the rule of love, not of intellect; for they would warm, not instruct.  It is the same with Saint Augustine.  This order consists chiefly in digressions on each point to indicate the end, and keep it always in sight.

284

Do not wonder to see simple people believe without reasoning.  God imparts to them love of Him and hatred of self.  He inclines their heart to believe.  Men will never believe with a saving and real faith, unless God inclines their heart; and they will believe as soon as He inclines it.  And this is what David knew well, when he said:  Inclina cor meum, Deus, in ...[106]

285

Religion is suited to all kinds of minds.  Some pay attention only to its establishment,[107] and this religion is such that its very establishment suffices to prove its truth.  Others trace it even to the apostles.  The more learned go back to the beginning of the world.  The angels see it better still, and from a more distant time.

286

Those who believe without having read the Testaments, do so because they have an inward disposition entirely holy, and all that they hear of our religion conforms to it.  They feel that a God has made them; they desire only to love God; they desire to hate themselves only.  They feel that they have no strength in themselves; that they are incapable of coming to God; and that if God does not come to them, they can have no communion with Him.  And they hear our religion say that men must love God only, and hate self only; but that all being corrupt and unworthy of God, God made Himself man to unite Himself to us.  No more is required to persuade men who have this disposition in their heart, and who have this knowledge of their duty and of their inefficiency.

287

Those whom we see to be Christians without the knowledge of the prophets and evidences, nevertheless judge of their religion as well as those who have that knowledge.  They judge of it by the heart, as others judge of it by the intellect.  God Himself inclines them to believe, and thus they are most effectively convinced.