It commands him to hate all pleasures but those of religion, and to cherish a long face.

It attributes to him as meritorious, all the voluntary evils he inflicts upon himself.

From thence originate those austerites, those penances, destructive to health; those cruel privations by which the inhabitants of the monastic cell kill themselves by inches, in order to merit the joys of heaven.

Now, how can good sense admit that God delights in seeing his creatures torment themselves?
It may be said to all this, perhaps, that this is mere declamation, for Christians now a days do not torment themselves, but live as comfortable as others.

To this I answer that Christianity is to be judged not by what Christians do, but by what it commands them to do.