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to arouse their contempt.
It is not after this manner that Scripture speaks, which has a better
knowledge of the things that are of God. It says, on the contrary, that God
is a hidden God, 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 God is cut off. Nemo novit Patrem, nisi Filius, et
cui voluerit Filius revelare.30
This is what Scripture points out to us, when it says in so many places that
those who seek God find Him. 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 God must not
be of this nature. So it tells us elsewhere: Vere tu es Deus absconditus.31
243. It is an astounding fact that no canonical writer has ever made use of
nature to prove God. They all strive to make us believe in Him. David,
Solomon, etc., have never said, "There is no void, therefore there is a
God." 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 God?"
No. "And does your religion not say so"? No. For although it is true in a
sense for some souls to whom God 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
alon
It is not after this manner that Scripture speaks, which has a better
knowledge of the things that are of God. It says, on the contrary, that God
is a hidden God, 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 God is cut off. Nemo novit Patrem, nisi Filius, et
cui voluerit Filius revelare.30
This is what Scripture points out to us, when it says in so many places that
those who seek God find Him. 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 God must not
be of this nature. So it tells us elsewhere: Vere tu es Deus absconditus.31
243. It is an astounding fact that no canonical writer has ever made use of
nature to prove God. They all strive to make us believe in Him. David,
Solomon, etc., have never said, "There is no void, therefore there is a
God." 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 God?"
No. "And does your religion not say so"? No. For although it is true in a
sense for some souls to whom God 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
alon