Pascal's Pensees Part 17

_Rem viderunt, causam non viderunt._

236

According to the doctrine of chance, you ought to put yourself to the trouble of searching for the truth; for if you die without worshipping the True Cause, you are lost.--"But," say you, "if He had wished me to worship Him, He would have left me signs of His will."--He has done so; but you neglect them. Seek them, therefore; it is well worth it.

237

_Chances._--We must live differently in the world, according to these different a.s.sumptions: (1) that we could always remain in it; (2) that it is certain that we shall not remain here long, and uncertain if we shall remain here one hour. This last a.s.sumption is our condition.

238

What do you then promise me, in addition to certain troubles, but ten years of self-love (for ten years is the chance), to try hard to please without success?

239

_Objection._--Those who hope for salvation are so far happy; but they have as a counterpoise the fear of h.e.l.l.

_Reply._--Who has most reason to fear h.e.l.l: he who is in ignorance whether there is a h.e.l.l, and who is certain of d.a.m.nation if there is; or he who certainly believes there is a h.e.l.l, and hopes to be saved if there is?

240

"I would soon have renounced pleasure," say they, "had I faith." For my part I tell you, "You would soon have faith, if you renounced pleasure."

Now, it is for you to begin. If I could, I would give you faith. I cannot do so, nor therefore test the truth of what you say. But you can well renounce pleasure, and test whether what I say is true.

241

_Order._--I would have far more fear of being mistaken, and of finding that the Christian religion was true, than of not being mistaken in believing it true.

SECTION IV

OF THE MEANS OF BELIEF

242

_Preface to the second part._--To speak of those who have treated of this matter.

I admire the boldness with which these persons undertake to speak of G.o.d. In addressing their argument to infidels, their first chapter is to prove Divinity from the works of nature.[91] I should not be astonished at their enterprise, if they were addressing their argument to the faithful; for it is certain that those who have the living faith in their heart see at once that all existence is none other than the work of the G.o.d whom they adore. But for those in whom this light is extinguished, and in whom we purpose to rekindle it, persons dest.i.tute of faith and grace, who, seeking with all their light whatever they see in nature that can bring them to this knowledge, find only obscurity and darkness; to tell them that they have only to look at the smallest things which surround them, and they will see G.o.d openly, to give them, as a complete proof of this great and important matter, the course of the moon and planets, and to claim to have concluded the proof with such an argument, is to give them ground for believing that the proofs of our religion are very weak. And I see by reason and experience that nothing is more calculated to arouse their contempt.

It is not after this manner that Scripture speaks, which has a better knowledge of the things that are of G.o.d. It says, on the contrary, that G.o.d is a hidden G.o.d, and that, since the corruption of nature, He has left men in a darkness from which they can escape only through Jesus Christ, without whom all communion with G.o.d is cut off. _Nemo novit Patrem, nisi Filius, et cui voluerit Filius revelare._[92]

This is what Scripture points out to us, when it says in so many places that those who seek G.o.d find Him.[93] It is not of that light, "like the noonday sun," that this is said. We do not say that those who seek the noonday sun, or water in the sea, shall find them; and hence the evidence of G.o.d must not be of this nature. So it tells us elsewhere: _Vere tu es Deus absconditus_.[94]

243

It is an astounding fact that no canonical writer has ever made use of nature to prove G.o.d. They all strive to make us believe in Him. David, Solomon, etc., have never said, "There is no void, therefore there is a G.o.d." They must have had more knowledge than the most learned people who came after them, and who have all made use of this argument. This is worthy of attention.

244

"Why! Do you not say yourself that the heavens and birds prove G.o.d?" No.

"And does your religion not say so?" No. For although it is true in a sense for some souls to whom G.o.d gives this light, yet it is false with respect to the majority of men.

245

There are three sources of belief: reason, custom, inspiration. The Christian religion, which alone has reason, does not acknowledge as her true children those who believe without inspiration. It is not that she excludes reason and custom. On the contrary, the mind must be opened to proofs, must be confirmed by custom, and offer itself in humbleness to inspirations, which alone can produce a true and saving effect. _Ne evacuetur crux Christi._[95]

246

_Order._--After the letter _That we ought to seek G.o.d_, to write the letter _On removing obstacles_; which is the discourse on "the machine,"[96] on preparing the machine, on seeking by reason.

247

_Order._--A letter of exhortation to a friend to induce him to seek. And he will reply, "But what is the use of seeking? Nothing is seen." Then to reply to him, "Do not despair." And he will answer that he would be glad to find some light, but that, according to this very religion, if he believed in it, it will be of no use to him, and that therefore he prefers not to seek. And to answer to that: The machine.

248

_A letter which indicates the use of proofs by the machine._--Faith is different from proof; the one is human, the other is a gift of G.o.d.

_Justus ex fide vivit._[97] It is this faith that G.o.d Himself puts into the heart, of which the proof is often the instrument, _fides ex auditu_;[98] but this faith is in the heart, and makes us not say _scio_, but _credo_.

249

It is superst.i.tion to put one's hope in formalities; but it is pride to be unwilling to submit to them.

250

The external must be joined to the internal to obtain anything from G.o.d, that is to say, we must kneel, pray with the lips, etc., in order that proud man, who would not submit himself to G.o.d, may be now subject to the creature.[99] To expect help from these externals is superst.i.tion; to refuse to join them to the internal is pride.

251

Other religions, as the pagan, are more popular, for they consist in externals. But they are not for educated people. A purely intellectual religion would be more suited to the learned, but it would be of no use to the common people. The Christian religion alone is adapted to all, being composed of externals and internals. It raises the common people to the internal, and humbles the proud to the external; it is not perfect without the two, for the people must understand the spirit of the letter, and the learned must submit their spirit to the letter.