Blaise Pascal ( 10 of 74 )
God wanted to redeem men and open the way of salvation to those who seek Him. But men make themselves read more
God wanted to redeem men and open the way of salvation to those who seek Him. But men make themselves so unworthy of it that it is only just that God should refuse to some because of the hardness of heart what He gives to others from a compassion that they do not deserve. If He had wanted to overcome the obstinacy of the most hardened, He could have done so by revealing Himself to them so obviously that they could not have doubted the truth of His Being -- just as He will appear at the last day with such a clap of thunder and such an upheaval of nature that the dead will revive and the blindest will see. It is not in this way, however, that He willed to appear at His gentle coming: because so many men had made themselves unworthy of His mercy, He willed to leave them deprived of the good which they did not desire. And so it would not have been fair for Him to have appeared in an obviously divine manner, absolutely capable of convincing all men. But also it would not have been fair for Him to appear in a manner so hidden that even those who were sincerely seeking Him should not be able to recognize Him... So He has tempered His knowledge, by giving marks of Himself which were visible to those who seek Him, and not to those who seek Him not.
Nature is an infinite sphere whose center is everywhere and whose circumference is nowhere
Nature is an infinite sphere whose center is everywhere and whose circumference is nowhere
The present is never our goal: the past and present are our means: the future alone is our goal. Thus, read more
The present is never our goal: the past and present are our means: the future alone is our goal. Thus, we never live but we hope to live; and always hoping to be happy, it is inevitable that we will never be so.
In faith there is enough light for those who want to believe and enough shadows to blind those who don't.
In faith there is enough light for those who want to believe and enough shadows to blind those who don't.
The heart has reasons that reason cannot know.
The heart has reasons that reason cannot know.
The heart has its reasons which the mind cannot comprehend.
The heart has its reasons which the mind cannot comprehend.
If the nose of Cleopatra had been shorter, the whole face of the
earth would have been changed.
If the nose of Cleopatra had been shorter, the whole face of the
earth would have been changed.
Imagination disposes of everything; it creates beauty, justice, and happiness, which are everything in this world.
Imagination disposes of everything; it creates beauty, justice, and happiness, which are everything in this world.
Rivers are roads that move and carry us whither we wish to go.
[Fr., Les rivieres sont des chemins read more
Rivers are roads that move and carry us whither we wish to go.
[Fr., Les rivieres sont des chemins qui marchant et qui portent
ou l'on veut aller.]
Feast of Alban, first Martyr of Britain, c.209 We implore the mercy of God, not that He may leave read more
Feast of Alban, first Martyr of Britain, c.209 We implore the mercy of God, not that He may leave us at peace in our vices, but that He may deliver us from them.
