that truth should come, in
order that man should no longer dwell within himself.

441

For myself, I confess that so soon as the Christian religion reveals the
principle that human nature is corrupt and fallen from God, that opens
my eyes to see everywhere the mark of this truth: for nature is such
that she testifies everywhere, both within man and without him, to a
lost God and a corrupt nature.

442

Man's true nature, his true good, true virtue, and true religion, are
things of which the knowledge is inseparable.

443

_Greatness, wretchedness._--The more light we have, the more greatness
and the more baseness we discover in man. Ordinary men--those who are
more educated: philosophers, they astonish ordinary men--Christians,
they astonish philosophers.

Who will then be surprised to see that religion only makes us know
profoundly what we already know in proportion to our light?

444

This religion taught to her children what men have only been able to
discover by their greatest knowledge.

445

Original sin is foolishness to men, but it is admitted to be such. You
must not then reproach me for the want of reason in this doctrine, since
I admit it to be without reason. But this foolishness is wiser than all
the wisdom of men, _sapientius est hominibus_.[167] For without this,
what can we say that man is? His whole state depends on this
imperceptible point. And how should it be perceived by his reason, since
it is a thing against reason, and since reason, far from finding it out
by her own ways, is averse to it when it is presented to her?

446

_Of original sin.[168] Ample tradition of original sin according to the
Jews._

On the saying in Genesis viii, 21: "The imagination of man's heart is
evil from his youth."

_R. Moses Haddarschan_: This evil leaven is placed in man from the time
that he is formed.

_Massechet Succa_: This evil leaven has seven names in Scripture. It is
called _evil, the foreskin, uncleanness, an enemy, a scandal, a heart of
stone, the north wind_; all this signifies the malignity which is
concealed and impressed in the heart of man.

_Midrasch Tillim_ says the same thing, and that God will deliver the
good nature of man from the evil.

This malignity is renewed every day against man, as it is written, Psalm
xxxvii, 32: "The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay
him"; but God will not abandon him. This malignity tries the heart of
man in this l