251

Other religions, as the pagan, are more popular, for they consist in externals.  But they are not for educated people.  A purely intellectual religion would be more suited to the learned, but it would be of no use to the common people.  The Christian religion alone is adapted to all, being composed of externals and internals.  It raises the common people to the internal, and humbles the proud to the external; it is not perfect without the two, for the people must understand the spirit of the letter, and the learned must submit their spirit to the letter.

252

For we must not misunderstand ourselves; we are as much automatic as intellectual; and hence it comes that the instrument by which conviction is attained is not demonstrated alone.  How few things are demonstrated?  Proofs only convince the mind.  Custom is the source of our strongest and most believed proofs.  It bends the automaton, which persuades the mind without its thinking about the matter.  Who has demonstrated that there will be a to-morrow, and that we shall die?  And what is more believed?  It is, then, custom which persuades us of it; it is custom that makes so many men Christians; custom that makes them Turks, heathens, artisans, soldiers, etc. (Faith in baptism is more received among Christians than among Turks.) Finally, we must have recourse to it when once the mind has seen where the truth is, in order to quench our thirst, and steep ourselves in that belief, which escapes us at every hour; for always to have proofs ready is too much trouble.  We must get an easier belief, which is that of custom, which, without violence, without art, without argument, makes us believe things, and inclines all our powers to this belief, so that out soul falls naturally into it.  It is not enough to believe only by force of conviction, when the automaton is inclined to believe the contrary.  Both our parts must be made to believe, the mind by reasons which it is sufficient to have seen once in a lifetime, and the automaton by custom, and by not allowing it to incline to the contrary. Inclina cor meum, Deus.[100]

The reason acts slowly, with so many examinations, and on so many principles, which must be always present, that at every hour it falls asleep, or wanders, through want of having all its principles present.  Feeling does not act thus; it acts in a moment, and is always ready to act.  We must then put our faith in feeling; otherwise it will be always vacillating.

253

Two extremes:  to exclude reason, to admit reason only.

254

It is not a rare thing to have to reprove the world for too much docility.  It is a natural vice like credulity, and as pernicious.  Superstition.

255

Piety is different from superstition.

To carry piety as far as superstition is to destroy it.

The heretics reproach us for this superstitious submission.  This is to do what they reproach us for ...