Pascal's Pensées
very knowledge of the greatest men, the belief of men is thereby
induced; and, this being known to be possible, it has been therefore
concluded that it was. For people commonly reason thus: "A thing is
possible, therefore it is"; because the thing cannot be denied
generally, since there are particular effects which are true, the
people, who cannot distinguish which among these particular effects are
true, believe them all. In the same way, the reason why so many false
effects are credited to the moon, is that there are some true, as the
tide.
It is the same with prophecies, miracles, divination by dreams,
sorceries, etc. For if there had been nothing true in all this, men
would have believed nothing of them; and thus, instead of concluding
that there are no true miracles because there are so many false, we
must, on the contrary, say that there certainly are true miracles, since
there are false, and that there are false miracles only because some are
true. We must reason in the same way about religion; for it would not be
possible that men should have imagined so many false religions, if there
had not been a true one. The objection to this is that savages have a
religion; but the answer is that they have heard the true spoken of, as
appears by the deluge, circumcision, the cross of Saint Andrew, etc.
817
Having considered how it comes that there are so many false miracles,
false revelations, sorceries, etc., it has seemed to me that the true
cause is that there are some true; for it would not be possible that
there should be so many false miracles, if there were none true, nor so
many false revelations, if there were none true, nor so many false
religions, if there were not one true. For if there had never been all
this, it is almost impossible that men should have imagined it, and
still more impossible that so many others should have believed it. But
as there have been very great things true, and as they have been
believed by great men, this impression has been the cause that nearly
everybody is rendered capable of believing also the false. And thus,
instead of concluding that there are no true miracles, since there are
so many false, it must be said, on the contrary, that there are true
miracles, since there are so many false; and that there are false ones
only because there are true; and that in the same way there are false
religions because there is one true.--Objection to this: savages have a
religion. But this is because they have heard the true spoken of, as
appears by the cross of Saint Andrew, the deluge, circumcision,
etc.--This arises from the fact that the human mind, finding itself
inclined to that side by the truth, becomes thereby susceptible of all
the falsehoods of this ...
818
Jeremiah xxiii, 32. The _miracles_ of the false prophets. In the Hebrew
and Vatable[324] they are the _tricks_.
_Miracle_ does not always signify miracle. I Sam. xiv, 15; _miracle_
signifies _fear_, and is so in the Hebrew. The same evidently in Job
xxxiii, 7; and also Isaiah xxi, 4; Jeremiah xliv, 12. _Portentum_
signifies _simulacrum_, Jeremiah l, 38; and it is so in the Hebrew and
Vatable. Isaiah viii, 18. Jesus Christ says that He and His will be in
_miracles_.
819
If the devil favoured the doctrine which destroys him, he would be
divided against himself, as Jesus Christ said. If God favoured the
doctrine which destroys the Church, He would be divided against Himself.
_Omne regnum divisum._[325] For Jesus Christ wrought against the devil,
and destroyed his power over the heart, of which exorcism is the
symbolisation, in order to establish the kingdom of God. And thus He
adds, _Si in digito Dei ... regnum Dei ad vos_.[326]
820
There is a great difference between tempting and leading into error. God
tempts, but He does not lead into error. To tempt is to afford
opportunities, which impose no necessity; if men do not love God, they
will do a certain thing. To lead into error is to place a man under the
necessity of inferring and following out what is untrue.
821
Abraham and Gideon are above revelation. The Jews blinded themselves in
judging of miracles by the Scripture. God has never abandoned His true
worshippers.
I prefer to follow Jesus Christ than any other, because He has miracle,
prophecy, doctrine, perpetuity, etc.
The Donatists. No miracle which obliges them to say it is the devil.
The more we particularise God, Jesus Christ, the Church ...
822
If there were no false miracles, there would be certainty. If there were
no rule to judge of them, miracles would be useless, and there would be
no reason for believing.
Now there is, humanly speaking, no human certainty, but we have reason.
823
Either God has confounded the false miracles, or He has foretold them;
and in both ways He has raised Himself above what is supernatural with
respect to us, and has raised us to it.
824
Miracles serve not to convert, but to condemn. (Q. 113, A. 10, _Ad._
2.)[327]
825
_Reasons why we do not believe._
John xii, 37. _Cum autem tanta signa fecisset, non credebant in eum, ut
sermo Isayæ impleretur. Excæcavit_, etc.
_Hæc dixit Isaias, quando vidit gloriam ejus et locutus est de eo._
_Judæi signa petunt et Græci sapientiam quærunt, nos autem Jesum
crucifixum. Sed plenum signis, sed plenum sapientia; vos autem Christum
non crucifixum et religionem sine miraculis et sine sapientia._[328]
What makes us not believe in the true miracles, is want of love. John:
_Sed vos non creditis, quia non estis ex ovibus._[329] What makes us
believe the false is want of love. II Thess. ii.
The foundation of religion. It is the miracles. What then? Does God
speak against miracles, against the foundations of the faith which we
have in Him?
If there is a God, faith in God must exist on earth. Now the miracles of
Jesus Christ are not foretold by Antichrist, but the miracles of
Antichrist are foretold by Jesus Christ. And so if Jesus Christ were not
the Messiah, He would have indeed led into error. When Jesus Christ
foretold the miracles of Antichrist, did He think of destroying faith in
His own miracles?
Moses foretold Jesus Christ, and bade to follow Him. Jesus Christ
foretold Antichrist, and forbade to follow him.
It was impossible that in the time of Moses men should keep their faith
for Antichrist, who was unknown to them. But it is quite easy, in the
time of Antichrist, to believe in Jesus Christ, already known.
There is no reason for believing in Antichrist, which there is not for
believing in Jesus Christ. But there are reasons for believing in Jesus
Christ, which there are not for believing in the other.
826
Judges xiii, 23: "If the Lord were pleased to kill us, He would not have
shewed us all these things."
Hezekiah, Sennacherib.
Jeremiah. Hananiah, the false prophet, dies in seven months.
2 Macc. iii. The temple, ready for pillage, miraculously succoured.--2
Macc. xv.
1 Kings xvii. The widow to Elijah, who had restored her son, "By this I
know that thy words are true."
1 Kings xviii. Elijah with the prophets of Baal.
In the dispute concerning the true God and the truth of religion, there
has never happened any miracle on the side of error, and not of truth.
827
_Opposition._--Abel, Cain; Moses, the Magicians; Elijah, the false
prophets: Jeremiah, Hananiah; Micaiah, the false prophets; Jesus Christ,
the Pharisees; St. Paul, Bar-jesus; the Apostles, the Exorcists;
Christians, unbelievers; Catholics, heretics; Elijah, Enoch, Antichrist.
828
Jesus Christ says that the Scriptures testify of Him. But He does not
point out in what respect.
Even the prophecies could not prove Jesus Christ during His life; and
so, men would not have been culpable for not believing in Him before His
death, had the miracles not sufficed without doctrine. Now those who did
not believe in Him, when He was still alive, were sinners, as He said
Himself, and without excuse. Therefore they must have had proof beyond
doubt, which they resisted. Now, they had not the prophecies, but only
the miracles. Therefore the latter suffice, when the doctrine is not
inconsistent with them; and they ought to be believed.
John vii, 40. _Dispute among the Jews as among the Christians of
to-day._ Some believed in Jesus Christ; others believed Him not, because
of the prophecies which said that He should be born in Bethlehem. They
should have considered more carefully whether He was not. For His
miracles being convincing, they should have been quite sure of these
supposed contradictions of His teaching to Scripture; and this obscurity
did not excuse, but blinded them. Thus those who refuse to believe in
the miracles in the present day on account of a supposed contradiction,
which is unreal, are not excused.
The Pharisees said to the people, who believed in Him, because of His
miracles: "This people who knoweth not the law are cursed. But have any
of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him? For we know that out
of Galilee ariseth no prophet." Nicodemus answered: "Doth our law judge
any man before it hear him, [and specially, such a man who works such
miracles]?"
829
The prophecies were ambiguous; they are no longer so.
830
The five propositions were ambiguous; they are no longer so.
831
Miracles are no longer necessary, because we have had them already. But
when tradition is no longer minded; when the Pope alone is offered to
us; when he has been imposed upon; and when the true source of truth,
which is tradition, is thus excluded; and the Pope, who is its guardian,
is biased; the truth is no longer free to appear. Then, as men speak no
longer of truth, truth itself must speak to men. This is what happened
in the time of Arius. (Miracles under Diocletian and under Arius.)
832
_Miracle._--The people concluded this of themselves; but if the reason
of it must be given to you ...
It is unfortunate to be in exception to the rule. The same must be
strict, and opposed to exception. But yet, as it is certain that there
are exceptions to a rule, our judgment must though strict, be just.
833
John vi, 26: _Non quia vidisti signum, sed quia saturati estis._
Those who follow Jesus Christ because of His miracles honour His power
in all the miracles which it produces. But those who, making profession
to follow Him because of His miracles, follow Him in fact only because
He comforts them and satisfies them with worldly blessings, discredit
His miracles, when they are opposed to their own comforts.
John ix: _Non est hic homo a Deo, quia sabbatum non custodit. Alii:
Quomodo potest homo peccator hæc signa facere?_
Which is the most clear?
This house is not of God; for they do not there believe that the five
propositions are in Jansenius. Others: This house is of God; for in it
there are wrought strange miracles.
Which is the most clear?
_Tu quid dicis? Dico quia propheta est. Nisi esset hic a Deo, non
poterat facere quidquam._[330]
834
In the Old Testament, when they will turn you from God. In the New, when
they will turn you from Jesus Christ. These are the occasions for
excluding particular miracles from belief. No others need be excluded.
Does it therefore follow that they would have the right to exclude all
the prophets who came to them? No; they would have sinned in not
excluding those who denied God, and would have sinned in excluding those
who did not deny God.
So soon, then, as we see a miracle, we must either assent to it, or have
striking proofs to the contrary. We must see if it denies a God, or
Jesus Christ, or the Church.
835
There is a great difference between not being for Jesus Christ and
saying so, and not being for Jesus Christ and pretending to be so. The