The Sequel to the Count of Gabalis, or New Discourses on the Secret Sciences

On the Secret Sciences.

...to discern what there might be that is so contrary to good morals. "What Descartes took from us," he resumed, "is good and suited to our design; but what he added is very pernicious. I want to make you understand it clearly and in few words. And for this purpose, I must first tell you my feelings on the Philosophy of Aristotle Aristotle's logic and science were the foundation of the Catholic Church's "Scholastic" philosophy for centuries; the speaker here intends to challenge this foundation., and then you must agree with me on a principle of Christian Morality, without which there would be no difference between a Christian and a Pagan. It is that Faith is the soul of Christianity; it is the principle of all good and all merit. Now, the more this Faith suffers contradictions, the more it is combated by human reasoning, the more it stands alone, the more meritorious, victorious, and triumphant it becomes."

"This principle is admirable," I exclaimed. "So," he continued, "nothing more ruinous to Christian Morality can be done than to diminish the glory and merit of this Faith by interfering to subject divine things to reason. It is for the glory of Christianity that he who approaches God believe that God is This is a reference to the New Testament, Hebrews 11:6: "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is...","