Descartes does believe in god strongly, he just wants others to believe it too. He wants to make his assumption, a fact. Descartes’ method of doubt truly does aim for the foundations upon which the rest of his beliefs rest, this would sufficiently demolish all of his beliefs, leaving him with nothing he states that he has set out to accomplish. Unfortunately stating the things which he sets out to accomplish does not necessarily comport with a desire to be intellectually honest but instead makes it seem as though he will stop at nothing to satisfy himself with a rationalization of previously held beliefs, which is precisely what Peirce accuses the metaphysicians of doing.