CXL.—­RELIGION IS NOT NECESSARY TO MORALITY AND TO VIRTUE.

We are constantly told, and a good many sensible persons come to believe it, that religion is necessary to restrain men; that without it there would be no check upon the people; that morality and virtue are intimately connected with it:  “The fear of the Lord is,” we are told, “the beginning of wisdom.”  The terrors of another life are salutary terrors, and calculated to subdue men’s passions.  To disabuse us in regard to the utility of religious notions, it is sufficient to open the eyes and to consider what are the morals of the most religious people.  We see haughty tyrants, oppressive ministers, perfidious courtiers, countless extortioners, unscrupulous magistrates, impostors, adulterers, libertines, prostitutes, thieves, and rogues of all kinds, who have never doubted the existence of a vindictive God, or the punishments of hell, or the joys of Paradise.

Although very useless for the majority of men, the ministers of religion have tried to make death appear terrible to the eyes of their votaries.  If the most devoted Christians could be consistent, they would pass their whole lives in tears, and would finally die in the most terrible alarms.  What is more frightful than death to those unfortunate ones who are constantly reminded that “it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a living God;” that they should “seek salvation with fear and trembling!” However, we are assured that the Christian’s death has great consolations, of which the unbeliever is deprived.  The good Christian, we are told, dies with the firm hope of enjoying eternal happiness, which he has tried to deserve.  But this firm assurance, is it not a punishable presumption in the eyes of a severe God?  The greatest saints, are they not to be in doubt whether they are worthy of the love or of the hatred of God Priests who console us with the hope of the joys of Paradise, and close your eyes to the torments of hell, have you then had the advantage of seeing your names and ours inscribed in the book of life?

CXLI.—­RELIGION IS THE WEAKEST RESTRAINT THAT CAN BE OPPOSED TO THE PASSIONS.

To oppose to the passions and present interests of men the obscure notions about a metaphysical God whom no one can conceive of; the incredible punishments of another life; the pleasures of Heaven, of which we can not form an idea, is it not combating realities with chimeras?  Men have always but confused ideas of their God; they see Him only in the clouds; they never think of Him when they wish to do wrong.  Whenever ambition, fortune, or pleasure entices them or leads them away, God, and His menaces, and His promises weigh nothing in the balance.  The things of this life have for men a degree of certainty, which the most lively faith can never give to the objects of another life.