“This doctrine, if it comes from God, should bear the sacred stamp of the godhead; not only should it illumine the troubled thoughts which reason imprints on our minds, but it should also offer us a form of worship, a morality, and rules of conduct in accordance with the attributes by means of which we alone conceive of God’s essence.  If then it teaches us what is absurd and unreasonable, if it inspires us with feelings of aversion for our fellows and terror for ourselves, if it paints us a God, angry, jealous, revengeful, partial, hating men, a God of war and battles, ever ready to strike and to destroy, ever speaking of punishment and torment, boasting even of the punishment of the innocent, my heart would not be drawn towards this terrible God, I would take good care not to quit the realm of natural religion to embrace such a religion as that; for you see plainly I must choose between them.  Your God is not ours.  He who begins by selecting a chosen people, and proscribing the rest of mankind, is not our common father; he who consigns to eternal punishment the greater part of his creatures, is not the merciful and gracious God revealed to me by my reason.

“Reason tells me that dogmas should be plain, clear, and striking in their simplicity.  If there is something lacking in natural religion, it is with respect to the obscurity in which it leaves the great truths it teaches; revelation should teach us these truths in a way which the mind of man can understand; it should bring them within his reach, make him comprehend them, so that he may believe them.  Faith is confirmed and strengthened by understanding; the best religion is of necessity the simplest.  He who hides beneath mysteries and contradictions the religion that he preaches to me, teaches me at the same time to distrust that religion.  The God whom I adore is not the God of darkness, he has not given me understanding in order to forbid me to use it; to tell me to submit my reason is to insult the giver of reason.  The minister of truth does not tyrannise over my reason, he enlightens it.

“We have set aside all human authority, and without it I do not see how any man can convince another by preaching a doctrine contrary to reason.  Let them fight it out, and let us see what they have to say with that harshness of speech which is common to both.

“Inspiration:  Reason tells you that the whole is greater than the part; but I tell you, in God’s name, that the part is greater than the whole.

“Reason:  And who are you to dare to tell me that God contradicts himself?  And which shall I choose to believe.  God who teaches me, through my reason, the eternal truth, or you who, in his name, proclaim an absurdity?

“Inspiration:  Believe me, for my teaching is more positive; and I will prove to you beyond all manner of doubt that he has sent me.

“Reason:  What! you will convince me that God has sent you to bear witness against himself?  What sort of proofs will you adduce to convince me that God speaks more surely by your mouth than through the understanding he has given me?