CXIII.—­CONTINUATION.

To speak to men to announce to them mysteries, is to give and retain, it is to speak not to be understood.  He who talks but by enigmas, either seeks to amuse himself by the embarrassment which he causes, or finds it to his advantage not to explain himself too clearly.  Every secret betrays suspicion, weakness, and fear.  Princes and their ministers make a mystery of their projects for fear that their enemies in penetrating them would cause them to fail.  Can a good God amuse Himself by the embarrassment of His creatures?  A God who enjoys a power which nothing in the world can resist, can He apprehend that His intentions could be thwarted?  What interest would He have in putting upon us enigmas and mysteries?  We are told that man, by the weakness of his nature, is not capable of comprehending the Divine economy which can be to him but a tissue of mysteries; that God can not unveil secrets to him which are beyond his reach.  In this case, I reply, that man is not made to trouble himself with Divine economy, that this economy can not interest him in the least, that he has no need of mysteries which he can not understand; finally, that a mysterious religion is not made for him, any more than an eloquent discourse is made for a flock of sheep.

CXIV.—­A UNIVERSAL GOD SHOULD HAVE REVEALED A UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

Divinity has revealed itself in the different parts of our globe in a manner of such little uniformity, that in matters of religion men look upon each other with hatred and disdain.  The partisans of the different sects see each other very ridiculous and foolish.  The most respected mysteries in one religion are laughable for another.  God, having revealed Himself to men, ought at least to speak in the same language to all, and relieve their weak minds of the embarrassment of seeking what can be the religion which truly emanated from Him, or what is the most agreeable form of worship in His eyes.

A universal God ought to have revealed a universal religion.  By what fatality are so many different religions found on the earth?  Which is the true one amongst the great number of those of which each one pretends to be the right one, to the exclusion of all the others?  We have every reason to believe that not one of them enjoys this advantage.  The divisions and the disputes about opinions are indubitable signs of the uncertainty and of the obscurity of the principles which they profess.

CXV.—­THE PROOF THAT RELIGION IS NOT NECESSARY, IS THAT IT IS UNINTELLIGIBLE.