Thegreatsourceofourmistakeinthissubject，andoftheunboundedlicenceofconjecture，whichweindulge，is，thatwetacitlyconsiderourselves，asintheplaceoftheSupremeBeing，andconclude，thathewill，oneveryoccasion，observethesameconduct，whichweourselves，inhissituation，wouldhaveembracedasreasonableandeligible。But，besidesthattheordinarycourseofnaturemayconvinceus，thatalmosteverythingisregulatedbyprinciplesandmaximsverydifferentfromours；besidesthis，Isay，itmustevidentlyappearcontrarytoallrulesofanalogytoreason，fromtheintentionsandprojectsofmen，tothoseofaBeingsodifferent，andsomuchsuperior。
Inhumannature，thereisacertainexperiencedcoherenceofdesignsandinclinations；sothatwhen，fromanyfact，wehavediscoveredoneintentionofanyman，itmayoftenbereasonable，fromexperience，toinferanother，anddrawalongchainofconclusionsconcerninghispastorfutureconduct。ButthismethodofreasoningcanneverhaveplacewithregardtoaBeing，soremoteandincomprehensible，whobearsmuchlessanalogytoanyotherbeingintheuniversethanthesuntoawaxentaper，andwhodiscovershimselfonlybysomefainttracesoroutlines，beyondwhichwehavenoauthoritytoascribetohimanyattributeorperfection。
Whatweimaginetobeasuperiorperfection，mayreallybeadefect。Orwereiteversomuchaperfection，theascribingofittotheSupremeBeing，whereitappearsnottohavebeenreallyexerted，tothefull，inhisworks，savoursmoreofflatteryandpanegyric，thanofjustreasoningandsoundphilosophy。Allthephilosophy，therefore，intheworld，andallthereligion，whichisnothingbutaspeciesofphilosophy，willneverbeabletocarryusbeyondtheusualcourseofexperience，orgiveusmeasuresofconductandbehaviourdifferentfromthosewhicharefurnishedbyreflectionsoncommonlife。Nonewfactcaneverbeinferredfromthereligioushypothesis；noeventforeseenorforetold；
norewardorpunishmentexpectedordreaded，beyondwhatisalreadyknownbypracticeandobservation。SothatmyapologyforE/PICURUS\\willstillappearsolidandsatisfactory；norhavethepoliticalinterestsofsocietyanyconnexionwiththephilosophicaldisputesconcerningmetaphysicsandreligion。
Thereisstillonecircumstance，repliedI，whichyouseemtohaveoverlooked。ThoughIshouldallowyourpremises，Imustdenyyourconclusion。Youconclude，thatreligiousdoctrinesandreasoningshavenoinfluenceonlife，becausetheytohavenoinfluence；neverconsidering，thatmenreasonnotinthesamemanneryoudo，butdrawmanyconsequencesfromthebeliefofadivineExistence，andsupposethattheDeitywillinflictpunishmentsonvice，andbestowrewardsonvirtue，beyondwhatappearintheordinarycourseofnature。Whetherthisreasoningoftheirsbejustornot，isnomatter。Itsinfluenceontheirlifeandconductmuststillbethesame。