atters of religion, who will deign to revert
to its principles, and closely examine the notion of God, who serves
as its basis? Doubt generally arises either from indolence, weakness,
indifference, or incapacity. With many people, to doubt is to fear the
trouble of examining things, which are thought uninteresting. But religion
being presented to men as their most important concern in this and the
future world, skepticism and doubt on this subject must occasion perpetual
anxiety and must really constitute a bed of thorns. Every man who has not
courage to contemplate, without prejudice, the God upon whom all religion
is founded, can never know for what religion to decide: he knows not what
he should believe or not believe, admit or reject, hope or fear.

Indifference upon religion must not be confounded with scepticism. This
indifference is founded upon the absolute assurance, or at any rate upon
the probable belief, that religion is not interesting. A persuasion that
a thing which is pretended to be important is not so, or is only
indifferent, supposes a sufficient examination of the thing, without which
it would be impossible to have this persuasion. Those who call themselves
sceptics in the fundamental points of religion, are commonly either
indolent or incapable of examining.

124.

In every country, we are assured, that a God has revealed himself. What
has he taught men? Has he proved evidently that he exists? Has he informed
them where he resides? Has he taught them what he is, or in what his
essence consists? Has he clearly explained to them his intentions and
plan? Does what he says of this plan correspond with the effects, which
we see? No. He informs them solely, that _he is what he is_; that he is
a _hidden God_; that his ways are unspeakable; that he is exasperated
against all who have the temerity to fathom his decrees, or to consult
reason in judging him or his works.

Does the revealed conduct of God answer the magnificent ideas which
theologians would give us of his wisdom, goodness, justice, and
omnipotence? By no means. In every revelation, this conduct announces a
partial and capricious being, the protector of favourite people, and the
enemy of all others. If he deigns to appear to some men, he takes care to
keep all others in an invincible ignorance of his divine intentions. Every
private revelation evidently announces in God, injustice, partiality and
malignity.

Do the commands, revealed