78. Physical evil is commonly regarded as a punishment for sin.
Diseases, famines, wars, earthquakes, are means which God uses to
chastise wicked men. Thus, they make no scruple of attributing
these evils to the severity of a just and good God. But, do not
these scourges fall indiscriminately upon the good and bad, upon
the impious and devout, upon the innocent and guilty? How, in this
proceeding, would they have us admire the justice and goodness of a
being, the idea of whom seems comforting to so many wretches, whose
brain must undoubtedly be disordered by their misfortunes, since
they forget, that their God is the arbiter, the sole disposer of
the events of this world. This being the case, ought they not to
impute their sufferings to him, into whose arms they fly for comfort?
Unfortunate father! Thou consolest thyself in the bosom of Providence,
for the loss of a dear child, or beloved wife, who made thy happiness.
Alas! Dost thou not see, that thy God has killed them? Thy God has
rendered thee miserable, and thou desirest thy God to comfort thee
for the dreadful afflictions he has sent thee!

The chimerical or supernatural notions of theology have so succeeded
in destroying, in the minds of men, the most simple, dear, and natural
ideas, that the devout, unable to accuse God of malice, accustom
themselves to regard the several strokes of fate as indubitable
proofs of celestial goodness. When in affliction, they are ordered
to believe that God loves them, that God visits them, that God wishes
to try them. Thus religion has attained the art of converting evil
into good! A profane person said with reason--_If God Almighty thus
treats those whom he loves, I earnestly beseech him never to think of me_.