what He grants others from a
compassion which is not due to them. If He had willed to overcome the
obstinacy of the most hardened, He could have done so by revealing Himself
so manifestly to them that they could not have doubted of the truth of His
essence; as it will appear at the last day, with such thunders and such a
convulsion of nature that the dead will rise again, and the blindest will
see Him.

"It is not in this manner that He has willed to appear in His advent of
mercy, because, as so many make themselves unworthy of His mercy, He has
willed to leave them in the loss of the good which they do not want. It was
not, then, right that He should appear in a manner manifestly divine, and
completely capable of convincing all men; but it was also not right that He
should come in so hidden a manner that He could not be known by those who
should sincerely seek Him. He has willed to make himself quite recognisable
by those; and thus, willing to appear openly to those who seek Him with all
their heart, and to be hidden from those who flee from Him with all their
heart, He so regulates the knowledge of Himself that He has given signs of
Himself, visible to those who seek Him, and not to those who seek Him not.
There is enough light for those who only desire to see, and enough obscurity
for those who have a contrary disposition."

431. No other religion has recognised that man is the most excellent
creature. Some, which have quite recognised the reality of his excellence,
have considered as mean and ungrateful the low opinions which men naturally
have of themselves; and others, which have thoroughly recognised how