The Difficulties of Belief, in Connexion with the Creation and the Fall, Redemption and Judgment

Thomas Birks discusses some of the challenging aspects of Christian belief about creation, free will, sin, redemption, and judgment. As Birks states in the preface, the object of his text is to “remove some of those difficulties which have often haunted thoughtful and inquiring minds, when they reflect on the deeper truths and more solemn aspects of religion, both natural and revealed.… The aim of these pages is not to awaken the sense of difficulties in [the readers’] minds, but to relieve the depth of these shadows, where they have been felt in their chilling and depressing power. In the hope that the views here partly unfolded, and which are not hastily entertained may be to some weary spirits like a streak of morning light upon the distant mountains when the gloom of night is passing away, they are committed to the blessing of the true Fountain of all wisdom.”