There is such great disproportion between the merit which he thinks he has and his stupidity, that it is hard to believe he mistakes himself so completely.
And will this one scorn the other?
Who should scorn? Yet he scorns not the other, but pities him.
Port Royal is surely as good as Voltigerod.
So far as your proceeding is just according to this bias, so far is it unjust on the side of Christian piety.
Montalte.—Lax opinions are so pleasing to men, that it is strange that theirs displease. It is because they have exceeded all bounds; and more, there are many persons who see the truth, yet cannot attain to it; but there are few who do not know that the purity of religion is contrary to our corruptions. It is absurd to say that eternal reward is offered to the morals of Escobar.
But is it probable that probability gives certainty?—Difference between rest and security of conscience. Nothing but truth gives certainty. Nothing gives rest but a sincere search after truth.
Probability. They have oddly explained certainty, for after having established that all their ways are sure, they no longer call that sure which leads to heaven without danger of not arriving thereby, but that which leads there without danger of going out of the road.
Now probability is necessary for the other maxims, as for that of the friend and the slanderer.
A fructibus eorum, judge of their faith by their morals.