Pascal's Pensees Part 59
_Ingrediens mundum._[284]
"Stone upon stone."[285]
What preceded and what followed. All the Jews exist still, and are wanderers.
766
Of all that is on earth, He partakes only of the sorrows, not of the joys. He loves His neighbours, but His love does not confine itself within these bounds, and overflows to His own enemies, and then to those of G.o.d.
767
Jesus Christ typified by Joseph, the beloved of his father, sent by his father to see his brethren, etc., innocent, sold by his brethren for twenty pieces of silver, and thereby becoming their lord, their saviour, the saviour of strangers, and the saviour of the world; which had not been but for their plot to destroy him, their sale and their rejection of him.
In prison Joseph innocent between two criminals; Jesus Christ on the cross between two thieves. Joseph foretells freedom to the one, and death to the other, from the same omens. Jesus Christ saves the elect, and condemns the outcast for the same sins. Joseph foretells only; Jesus Christ acts. Joseph asks him who will be saved to remember him, when he comes into his glory; and he whom Jesus Christ saves asks that He will remember him, when He comes into His kingdom.
768
The conversion of the heathen was only reserved for the grace of the Messiah. The Jews have been so long in opposition to them without success; all that Solomon and the prophets said has been useless. Sages, like Plato and Socrates, have not been able to persuade them.
769
After many persons had gone before, Jesus Christ at last came to say:[286] "Here am I, and this is the time. That which the prophets have said was to come in the fullness of time, I tell you My apostles will do. The Jews shall be cast out. Jerusalem shall be soon destroyed. And the heathen shall enter into the knowledge of G.o.d. My apostles shall do this after you have slain the heir of the vineyard."
Then the apostles said to the Jews: "You shall be accursed," (_Celsus laughed at it_); and to the heathen, "You shall enter into the knowledge of G.o.d." And this then came to pa.s.s.
770
Jesus Christ came to blind those who saw clearly, and to give sight to the blind; to heal the sick, and leave the healthy to die; to call to repentance, and to justify sinners, and to leave the righteous in their sins; to fill the needy, and leave the rich empty.
771
_Holiness._--_Effundam spiritum meum._[287] All nations were in unbelief and l.u.s.t. The whole world now became fervent with love. Princes abandoned their pomp; maidens suffered martyrdom. Whence came this influence? The Messiah was come. These were the effect and sign of His coming.
772
Destruction of the Jews and heathen by Jesus Christ: _Omnes gentes venient et adorabunt eum.[288] Parum est ut_,[289] etc. _Postula a me.[290] Adorabunt eum omnes reges.[291] Testes iniqui.[292] Dabit maxillam percutienti.[293] Dederunt fel in escam._[294]
773
Jesus Christ for all, Moses for a nation.
The Jews blessed in Abraham: "I will bless those that bless thee."[295]
But: "All nations blessed in his seed."[296] _Parum est ut_, etc.
_Lumen ad revelationem gentium._[297]
_Non fecit taliter omni nationi_,[298] said David, in speaking of the Law. But, in speaking of Jesus Christ, we must say: _Fecit taliter omni nationi. Parum est ut_, etc., Isaiah. So it belongs to Jesus Christ to be universal. Even the Church offers sacrifice only for the faithful.
Jesus Christ offered that of the cross for all.
774
There is heresy in always explaining _omnes_ by "all," and heresy in not explaining it sometimes by "all." _Bibite ex hoc omnes_;[299] the Huguenots are heretics in explaining it by "all." _In quo omnes peccaverunt_;[300] the Huguenots are heretics in excepting the children of true believers. We must then follow the Fathers and tradition in order to know when to do so, since there is heresy to be feared on both sides.
775
_Ne timeas pusillus grex.[301] Timore et tremore.--Quid ergo? Ne timeas [modo] timeas._ Fear not, provided you fear; but if you fear not, then fear.
_Qui me recipit, non me recipit, sed eum qui me misit._[302]
_Nemo scit, neque Filius._
_Nubes lucida ob.u.mbravit._
Saint John[303] was to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and Jesus Christ[304] to plant division. There is not contradiction.
776
The effects _in communi_ and _in particulari_. The semi-Pelagians err in saying of _in communi_ what is true only _in particulari_; and the Calvinists in saying _in particulari_ what is true _in communi_. (Such is my opinion.)
777
_Omnis Judaea regio, et Jerosolomymi universi, et baptizabantur._[305]
Because of all the conditions of men who came there. From these stones there _can_ come children unto Abraham.[306]
778
If men knew themselves, G.o.d would heal and pardon them. _Ne convertantur et sanem eos, et dimittantur eis peccata._[307]
779
Jesus Christ never condemned without hearing. To Judas: _Amice, ad quid venisti?_[308] To him that had not on the wedding garment, the same.
780