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T.J. WalsheApologeticsChapter 16

Motives Internal and External-Intrinsic

Section V.—Motives of Credibility

Chapter XVI.—Motives Internal and External-Intrinsic

Art. I.—Motives of Credibility in general.

I.—For the collective Faith of the Church there is a moral necessity that the fact of Revelation should be proved.

Certitude based on universal opinion is in the strict sense sufficient. But scientific proof founded (1) metaphysically, on the probative force of motives of Credibility, and (2) historically, on the existence of such motives, is morally necessary, i.e., such proof is highly suitable and useful. The suitability is shown a posteriori from the fact that objections drawn from philosophical and historical sciences should be answered, and a priori from the consequence that if the signs of Revelation are irrefragable, then the Church should be able to defend irrefragably the cogency of such signs.

II.—Existence and character of the proof.

(a) The Vatican Council declares that the proof is not only possible but exists (D. 1813, 1799, 1624, 1637).

(b) Scientific proof, in the strict sense, is drawn a priori from cause, or a posteriori from effect. Inasmuch as in the case of Revelation both cause and effects are supernatural, scientific proof, in its strictest sense, cannot be given. But in a wider and more indirect sense, scientific proof, drawn from extrinsic signs wrought in confirmation of Revelation, exists. It is a proof known as “reductio ad absurdum,” the absurdity being the supposition that God would work miracles in confirmation of false doctrine. Even in mathematics the cogency of the “reductio ad absurdum” is frequently recognised and invoked.

III.—Motives of Credibility, Credentity, and Faith.

Motives of Credibility are signs or marks whereby Revealed Religion is made evidently credible for Divine Faith. The judgment of Credibility is founded on these signs.

Motive of Credentity signifies the Divine right constituting the obligation of belief.

Motive of Faith is the authority of God revealing.

Hence a motive of Credibility must possess three qualities:

(1) Certainty in itself.

(2) Certainty as due to the special intervention of God.

(3) Certainty as to its function of confirming Revelation.

IV.—Different kinds of Motives of Credibility.

(A) The Church’s teaching.

The Church appeals (1) to external signs of Divine Revelation, viz., miracles and prophecy (D. 1790), (2) to the wonderful life of the church (D. 1794) and (3) to internal motives (D. 1790). But the church has condemned the view that internal motives alone can be the basis of Divine Faith (D. 1812).

(B) All the motives are arranged in the following chart:

Art. II.—Value of Internal Motives.

I.—Those who adopt the method of Immanence do not make right use of the internal motives.

(A) Some Rationalists invoke them to show that the doctrines of Christianity correspond to human aspirations. They do not admit the supernatural origin of Christianity. Kant and Hegel reject all supernatural dogmas, or interpret them in a symbolic sense.

(B) Liberal Protestants and Modernists also make use of internal motives. They regard Christianity as a higher form of religious evolution and consequently changeable. They too regard dogma as only of symbolic value.

(C) Certain Catholic writers, who favour the method of immanence (Blondel, Laberthonnière) hold of course that the Catholic Faith is supernatural. They go on to say that because Catholicism alone satisfies the internal desire for religion, the practical necessity of embracing Catholicism follows. They give only a symbolic, not an ontological, value to miracles. In their estimation a miracle is an extraordinary sensible symbol attracting the attention of the unbeliever, so that he should examine the Catholic religion, and find therein conformity with the aspirations and exigencies of nature. A development of this mental attitude is their definition of truth, viz., conformity of the intellect with life, with the exigencies of nature.

Critique

(1) Divine Faith is reduced to religious experience.

(2) The method of Immanence diminishes the probative force of miracles.

(3) This method exaggerates the natural desire of supernatural life. It sees in human nature not only a capacity and suitability for the supernatural order, but a real exigency.

(4) The method fails to show the Credibility and Divine origin of Christianity.

II.—Individual internal motives may produce probability, but not certitude in regard to Credibility.

(a) They may produce probability: A man seeking Faith and reading: “My peace I leave you, my peace I give you: not as the world gives do I give unto you” (John xiv. 27) may find peace so deeply in conformity with his higher aspirations, and so gratuitously offered as to seem to come from God alone. Similarly in regard to the sublimity of Our Lord’s teaching: “When Jesus had finished his discourse, the multitudes were in admiration of his doctrine” (Matt. vi. 28). Hence in individual cases internal motives may manifest the credibility of the mysteries of Faith, and without doubt they help when joined with external motives.

(b) Ordinarily, internal motives are not sufficient. Internal peace and joy are not necessarily a supernatural effect; they may be merely natural. Three qualities are required so that a fact should be a sufficient motive of Credibility; internal motives fail to show these qualities. Accidentally and in extraordinary cases, internal motives may suffice, in which cases grace supplies the function of the external motives.

III.—The universal internal motives taken together can produce moral certitude regarding Credibility.

These motives arise from the satisfaction of the moral and religious aspirations of humanity. To these universal internal motives correspond objectively the external motives drawn from sublimity of doctrine and the wonderful life of the Church.

(A) The Universal internal motives produce per se moral certitude of the fact of Revelation. Men cannot quickly and without error acquire a knowledge of all the truths of Natural Religion. Hence if all legitimate aspirations, even the higher aspirations of our nature, are satisfied by a system of religious belief, this fact is a sign of the Divine origin of the religion. But for the possibility of this moral certitude three conditions are required:

1° The ontological validity of first principles (e.g. of efficient and final causes) must be acknowledged, otherwise there is no valid inference from effect to cause.

2° The conformity must be so extraordinary—a moral miracle—as to seem to come from God.

3° The argument must be drawn from all aspirations—negative and positive—taken together.

(a) Aspirations to know, hope in, and love God, to give Him internal and external worship.

(b) Aspirations regarding prudence, justice, temperance, fortitude.

(c) Aspirations towards eternal happiness and desire, conditional and inefficacious, of seeing God essentially.

In Christian teaching the knowledge given of God and of His intimate life satisfies the aspiration of Faith. The mysteries of the Incarnation and Redemption increase the aspiration of Hope, the Eucharist exceeds the highest aspirations of Charity, etc. Lacordaire, using his marvellous gift of oratory, argued for the divinity of the Christian Faith from the Christian ideals of Charity, Humility, and Virginity.

It is well to note that the internal experience of peace which characterised the Saints differs from the peace which the world gives: (1) Peace which the Saints enjoy is directed to eternal goods, peace of the world to the undisturbed enjoyment of temporal goods; (2) Peace which comes from God is internal and external; peace which the world gives is merely external.

(B) These motives give moral certitude, but must not be separated from correlative external motives intrinsic to religion, joined with which, they constitute an irrefragable argument.

Art. III.—Value of the external motives intrinsic to Religion.

I.—Teaching of the Church.

“The Church itself because of its admirable propagation, its extraordinary sanctity and its inexhaustible fecundity in the promotion of all that is good, because of its Catholic unity and unshaken stability, is a great and perpetual motive of Credibility, and an irrefragable witness of its own Divine mission” (Vatican Council D. 1794).

The Church is a moral miracle which can be produced only by God.

(1) From standpoint of efficient cause, “because of its wonderful propagation”—hence the mark of Apostolicity.

(2) From standpoint of final cause, hence the mark of Sanctity.

(3) From standpoint of formal and material causes, hence the marks of Unity and Catholicity.

The Council mentions also the Church’s “Unshaken Stability” as a sign of the perfection of the whole work.

Thus the Providence of God has provided for His Church marks which appeal to learned and unlearned alike, and which are quite sufficient to produce the fullest certitude of Credibility.

II.—The external-intrinsic motives, taken together, constitute an irrefragable argument.

(A) Negatively considered, they insure immunity from error, contradiction, fraud and immorality. Hence a strong presumption of the Divine origin of the Christian Faith.

(B) Positively considered, the motives imply:

  1. Purity and sublimity of doctrine.
  2. Sanctity of Founder, Apostles and Martyrs.
  3. Wonderful propagation.
  4. Fecundity in results.
  5. Catholic unity.
  6. Unshaken stability.

These notes cannot exist collectively without the special intervention of God.

Before the discussion of each of these points, the question arises: What is meant precisely by “harmony” and “sublimity”?

Harmony is the perfection of order, and is one of the qualities of the beautiful. The beautiful has three qualities:

  1. Integrity (from standpoint of at least virtual multitude).
  2. Suitable Proportion, i.e., Harmony (from the standpoint of unity of order).
  3. Clarity (from standpoint of manifestation of order in plurality of parts).

The Sublime appears especially in the highest and most intimate union of different things widely separated: e.g., association of Infinite Mercy with human misery, union of Infinite Justice and Mercy, union of heroic fortitude and perfect meekness in a martyr; St. Paul speaks of the sublimity of the Church and the Church’s doctrine in Ephesians iii. 17, 18, 19: “Being rooted and founded in Charity you may be able to comprehend with all the Saints what is the breadth and the length and the height and the depth, to know also the Charity of Christ which surpasseth all knowledge.”

1° Purity and Sublimity of doctrine.

(a) The doctrine in itself.

It unites things highest and lowest, supernatural and natural, the riches of Divine mercy and the misery of mankind; it safeguards the rights of justice, it is proposed to all nations at all times, it joins things ancient and new, its truths are intimately connected amongst themselves and with the last end of man.

(1) From the standpoint of natural truth, Christian doctrine excels all systems of philosophy and all other forms of religion. It proposes nothing contrary to reason. It teaches perfectly all that belongs to natural religion—all that relates to God, to man and to relations between God and man.

(2) From the standpoint of Supernatural Mysteries the Divine origin of the Christian Faith is shewn by the fact that the Supernatural Mysteries are in perfect harmony with the attributes of God known to reason, and with the aspirations of human nature. Pascal notes that the argument is strengthened inasmuch as the misery of man and the nobility of his desires are explained, and a remedy provided for the misery. Doctrine distinguished by these wonderful characteristics is Divine.

“It is morally impossible,” writes Zigliara, “that man relying on his own powers should reach the truth in all things, for sometimes he falls into error, he often hesitates between opposite opinions, and is involved in contradictions. Where the truth always exists, where there is no opposition in those things which are taught by one, or (more wonderful still) by many, who say that they speak by Divine inspiration, there is the sign that the doctrine does not come from man, but from God, especially if the teaching should be about the highest mysteries of God” (Propædeutica ad Sacram Theologiam, Book II., chap. ix. n iv.).

(b) The doctrine as preached.

(1) The preaching of the Faith manifests wonderful power of illumination, whereby the highest Mysteries are taught with authority, simplicity and humility.

(2) It attracts by its unction even though it proposes difficult precepts.

(3) It has an efficacy which is extraordinary. Multitudes of simple and learned hearers are affected, and the doctrine has maintained its influence throughout the ages.

(c) The doctrine from the standpoint of its origin.

It is a historical fact that Christian teaching appeared without human preparation. St. Thomas places above physical miracles as something more miraculous that “simple men (Apostles) filled with the gift of the Holy Ghost attained highest wisdom and eloquence instantaneously.” Moreover the preachers of the Faith suddenly began to speak in various languages previously unknown to them.

2° Sanctity of Founder, Apostles and Martyrs. (The character of Our Blessed Lord will be considered later.)

Sanctity is a virtue which implies a soul untouched by earthly faults, implies close union with God, and directs all acts of virtue to God. Sanctity is apparent in the heroic exercise of all virtues.

Benedict XIV teaches that four conditions are required for the proof of heroic virtue:

(1) The work achieved must be difficult, i.e., above the ordinary capabilities of men.

(2) The work must have been done promptly.

(3) Done with pleasure.

(4) There must be frequent instances of such work.

Martyrdom amongst all virtuous acts most perfectly manifests the perfection of Charity, for life is man’s dearest possession, and the sacrifice of life accompanied by horrible torture is a sign of the highest charity (John xv. 13). The word “martyr” means witness, for the Martyrs were witnesses of the Christian Faith.

For heroic sanctity, the exercise of virtues which are unlike is necessary, e.g., fortitude and meekness. Mere natural temperament might dispose towards the exercise of a particular virtue, e.g., meekness. It may be objected that men who are not religious are capable of heroic endurance. Quite true, but Supernatural fortitude is accompanied by Humility, prayer for persecutors, etc.

3° Admirable propagation of the Christian Faith.

There was an absolute disproportion between the wonderful conversion of the world and the instruments used. Note the words of 1 Cor. i. 25: “For the foolishness of God is wiser than men: and the weakness of God is stronger than men… . But the foolish things of the world hath God chosen, that He may confound the wise; and the weak things of the world hath God chosen, that He may confound the strong. And the base things of the world and the things that are contemptible hath God chosen, and things that are not, that He might bring to nought things that are: that no flesh should glory in His sight.”

The propagation of the Christian Faith has been increased by persecution. “Sanguis martyrum, semen Ecclesiæ.”

4° Fecundity of the Christian Faith in all benefits.

The subject may be treated in relation to the individual, the family and society.

(a) As regards individuals: his intellect has been freed from error concerning God, the human soul, the world; his will has been strengthened against the corruption of paganism.

(b) As regards the family: the dignity of woman has been vindicated, protection and education of children secured, slavery gradually abolished.

(c) As regards Society: the authority of government has been founded on God, and at the same time liberty, charity and the rights of nations secured.

From the beginning of Christianity works of mercy have been manifest. In all these holy effects the end of Religion is shewn; withal the Divine motive of Religion is also shewn, in accordance with the axiom: “Ordo agentium correspondere debet ordini finium.”

5° Catholic Unity.

Another argument is drawn from the Catholicity or Universality of the Church (from standpoint of material cause, i.e., members of the Church) and from its unity (from the standpoint of formal cause). Notwithstanding diversity of languages, characters, ideas, governments, men of all times and nations are united in Faith, Hope and Charity, in ecclesiastical government and worship—surely this fact requires the intervention of God.

St. Thomas writes that the Church is Catholic, “because it has been accepted by men of every condition.” The Christian Faith is not Catholic or universal because it embraces all individuals of different classes, but because it embraces all the different classes under which individuals are placed (“non propter singula generum, sed propter genera singulorum,” de Trinitate Boetii q 3 a 3).

6° Unshaken stability of the Christian Faith.

Nations, political forms of government, religions, philosophical systems—all appear and disappear, “for the fashion of this world passeth away” (1 Cor. vii. 31).

Only one form of Religion has remained indefectible. No change in belief, in government, in worship. This characteristic is a sign of Divine origin, a participation in Divine immutability. “Cælum et terra transibunt: verba autem mea non præteribunt” (Matt. xxiv. 35). False religions remain either in the immobility of death as Islamism, or they vary according to the exigency of the age as Protestantism.

Conclusion: If the Faith in which all these characteristics are united be not from God, there would be an effect without a cause. The characteristics are extraordinary and postulate the extraordinary intervention of God. Real effects manifest a real cause, supernatural effects a supernatural cause. Richard of St. Victor wrote: “Cannot we say to God with all confidence: Lord, if there is error we have been deceived by Thee; for this doctrine has been confirmed by such signs and wonders as can have been wrought by Thee alone” (de Trinitate, Book I. c. 2).

Modernists admit that these characteristics cannot be fully explained by the laws of evolution. “Something unknown is hidden,” and this something is not proved to be supernatural, but perhaps only a product of the highest form of religious evolution.

Answer: Modernists doubt the ontological and transcendental value of first principles. Under these circumstances even the existence of God, Author of nature, cannot be established. The supernatural is therefore ruled out, and recourse is had to “some hidden natural element” to explain what are in fact supernatural effects.

III.—Relation of motives inter se: Unity of Apologetics.

(A) Those who favour the method of Immanence claim that the internal motives come first not only in time, but in value. (“L’Action,” pp. 425-492). They reject the ontological value of miracles.

(B) In traditional Apologetics:

(1) Internal motives are subordinated to external.

(2) External motives, extrinsic to Religion, i.e., miracles and prophecy are more easily recognised by us, but the external motives, intrinsic to Religion, are higher in themselves.

(3) Strongest of all are the great miracles, intrinsic to Religion, in which prophecy is fulfilled, and future happiness announced. For example, the Resurrection of Christ is:

(a) A Mystery of Faith (Resurrection of the Word).

(b) Sensible miracle of the first order.

(c) Fulfilment of several prophecies.

(d) Victory of Christ over sin.

(e) Example of strength gained through persecution.

(f) Pledge of our future happiness.

As regards the first statement—the subordination of internal to external motives—the supreme criterion of truth must be objective not subjective. Moreover internal motives divorced from external give rise to illusions. It is true that internal motives often dispose an enquirer to consider other motives; in which cases they have priority of time. Again they confirm other motives.

With reference to the second statement, the wonderful life of the Church is higher than a physical miracle, but not so easily recognised. Aristotle wrote: “Truths most intelligible in themselves are difficult to be known by us, because our intellectual knowledge proceeds from sensible truths.” From our standpoint the external-extrinsic criteria are easier and safer to recognise. But the life of the Church, being a moral, is higher than a physical miracle.

As far as we now living are concerned, the perpetuity and wonderful life of the Church are of the highest apologetic value. In these qualities the effects of the Resurrection are manifest: Christus vivit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.

Corollary. Unity of Apologetics.

By unity in the science of Apologetics is meant the organic unity of the motives of credibility. The true order of arguments is determined by the end to which the science tends, i.e., to the evident credibility of the Mysteries of Faith as revealed by God. Hence priority of value belongs to the method which approaches nearest to the end, i.e., the external method. It is quite possible however that in many cases it would be advisable to begin by the use of the internal method which would thus be given priority of time. Hence the following order:

(1) Internal motives drawn from human aspirations.

(2) Excellence of Christian doctrine and the wonderful life of the Church (External-Intrinsic).

(3) Miracles and prophecy (External-Extrinsic).

(4) All motives are confirmed by experience of the gifts of the Holy Ghost (Internal peace and joy, etc.).

Notes

Footnotes

  1. Some miracles and some prophecies are intrinsic to Religion. Cf. p. 214. ↩