ion, shall receive a
bright and massive crown when this frail and short life is
ended, _though they don't stand to examine the grounds on
which their faith is_ built, nor defer their conversion till
they have a fair opportunity and capacity to apply themselves
to rational and learned studies. And since our adversaries are
continually making such a stir about our _taking things on
trust_, I answer, that we, who see plainly and have found the
vast advantage that the common people do manifestly and
frequently reap thereby (who make up by far the greater
number), I say, we (the Christian clergy), who are so well
advised of these things, _do professedly teach men to believe
without examination_."[275:1]

Origen flourished and wrote A. D. 225-235, which shows that at that
early day there was no rational evidence for Christianity, but it was
professedly taught, and men were supposed to believe "_these things_"
(_i. e._ the Christian legends) _without severe examination_.

The primitive Christians were perpetually reproached for their gross
credulity, by all their enemies. Celsus, as we have already seen,
declares that they cared neither to receive nor give any reason for
their faith, and that it was a usual saying with them: "Do not examine,
but believe only, and thy faith will save thee;" and Julian affirms
that, "the sum of all their wisdom was comprised in the single precept,
'_believe_.'"

Arnobius, speaking of this, says:

"The Gentiles make it their constant business to laugh at our
faith, and to lash our credulity with their facetious jokes."

The Christian Fathers defended themselves against these charges by
declaring that they did nothing more than the heathens themselves had
always done; and reminds them that they too had found the same method
useful with the uneducated or common people, who were not at leisure to
examine things, and whom they taught therefore, to believe without
reason.[275:2]

This "believing without reason" is illustrated in the following words of
Tertullian, a Christian Father of the second century, who reasons on the
evidence of Christianity as follows:

"I find no other means to prove myself to be impudent with
success, and happily a fool, than by my contempt of shame; as,
for instance--I maintain that the son of God was born: why am
I not ashamed of maintaining such a thing? Why! but because it