de foi, de fait

"the Church, with divine authority, decides the points of faith, and cuts off from her body all who refuse to receive them.  But she does not act in the same manner in regard to matters of fact.  And the reason is that our salvation is attached to the faith which has been revealed to us, and which is preserved in the Church by tradition, but that it has no dependence on facts which have not been revealed by God. . . .  In the determination of points of faith, God guides the Church by the aid of His unerring Spirit; whereas in matters of fact He leaves her to the direction of reason and the senses, which are the natural judges of such matters."

     Blaise Pascal, Provincial letters no. 17, trans. M’Crie (GBWW, 1st ed. (1952), vol. 33, p. 147).  =p. 358 of tom. 6 of the 1904-1914 edition of the Œuvres edited by Brunschvicg.  =p. 789 of the 1998 Pléiade edition of the Œuvres edited by Le Guern.