A SCEPTIC IN RELIGION

Is one that hangs in the balance with all sorts of opinions, whereof not one but stirs him and none sways him.  A man guiltier of credulity than he is taken to be; for it is out of his belief of everything, that he fully believes nothing.  Each religion scares him from its contrary:  none persuades him to itself.  He would be wholly a Christian, but that he is something of an atheist, and wholly an atheist, but that he is partly a Christian; and a perfect heretic, but that there are so many to distract him.  He finds reason in all opinions, truth in none:  indeed the least reason perplexes him, and the best will not satisfy him.  He is at most a confused and wild Christian, not specialized by any form, but capable of all.  He uses the land’s religion, because it is next him, yet he sees not why he may not take the other, but he chuses this, not as better, but because there is not a pin to choose.  He finds doubts and scruples better than resolves them, and is always too hard for himself.  His learning is too much for his brain, and his judgment too little for his learning, and his over-opinion of both, spoils all.  Pity it was his mischance of being a scholar; for it does only distract and irregulate him, and the world by him.  He hammers much in general upon our opinion’s uncertainty, and the possibility of erring makes him not venture on what is true.  He is troubled at this naturalness of religion to countries, that protestantism should be born so in England and popery abroad, and that fortune and the stars should so much share in it.  He likes not this connection with the commonweal and divinity, and fears it may be an arch-practice of state.  In our differences with Rome he is strangely unfixed, and a new man every new day, as his last discourse-book’s meditations transport him.  He could like the gray hairs of popery, did not some dotages there stagger him:  he would come to us sooner, but our new name affrights him.  He is taken with their miracles, but doubts an imposture; he conceives of our doctrine better, but it seems too empty and naked.  He cannot drive into his fancy the circumscription of truth to our corner, and is as hardly persuaded to think their old legends true.  He approves well of our faith, and more of their works, and is sometimes much affected at the zeal of Amsterdam.  His conscience interposes itself betwixt duellers, and whilst it would part both, is by both wounded.  He will sometimes propend much to us upon the reading a good writer, and at Bellarmine [58] recalls as far back again; and the fathers justle him from one side to another.  Now Socinus [59] and Vorstius [60] afresh torture him, and he agrees with none worse than himself.  He puts his foot into heresies tenderly, as a cat in the water, and pulls it out again, and still something unanswered delays him; yet he bears away some parcel of each, and you may sooner pick all religions out