by any God, astonish us by their sublime reason
or wisdom? Do they evidently tend to promote the happiness of the people,
to whom the Divinity discloses them? Upon examining the divine commands,
one sees in every country, nothing but strange ordinances, ridiculous
precepts, impertinent ceremonies, puerile customs, oblations, sacrifices,
and expiations, useful indeed to the ministers of God, but very
burthensome to the rest of the citizens. I see likewise, that these laws
often tend to make men unsociable, disdainful, intolerant, quarrelsome,
unjust, and inhuman, to those who have not received the same revelations,
the same ordinances, or the same favours from heaven.

125.

Are the precepts of morality, announced by the Deity, really divine,
or superior to those which every reasonable man might imagine? They are
divine solely because it is impossible for the human mind to discover
their utility. They make virtue consist in a total renunciation of nature,
in a voluntary forgetfulness of reason, a holy hatred of ourselves.
Finally, these sublime precepts often exhibit perfection in a conduct,
cruel to ourselves, and perfectly useless to others.

Has a God appeared? Has he himself promulgated his laws? Has he spoken to
men with his own mouth? I am told, that God has not appeared to a whole
people; but that he has always manifested himself through the medium
of some favourite personages, who have been intrusted with the care of
announcing and explaining his intentions. The people have never been
permitted to enter the sanctuary; the ministers of the gods have alone had
the right to relate what passes there.

126.

If in every system of divine revelation, I complain of not seeing either
the wisdom, goodness, or equity of God; if I suspect knavery, ambition, or
interest; it is replied, that God has confirmed by miracles the mission of
those, who speak in his name. But was it not more simple for him to appear
in person, to explain his nature and will? Again, if I have the curiosity
to examine these miracles, I find, that they are improbable tales, related
by suspected people, who had the greatest interest in giving out that they
were the messengers of the Most High.

What witnesses are appealed to in order to induce us to believe incredible
miracles? Weak people, who existed thousands of years ago, and who, even
though they could attest these miracles, may be suspected of being duped
by their own imagination,