,,thoughts ,,on ,,the ,,christian       
,,religion ,,by ,a ,,deist    ,,to      
,,which ,,are ,,added1 ,a ,,few ,,ideas 
,,on ,,miraculous ,,conversion1 ,,and   
,,religion  ,,in ,,general4      ,by ,a 
,theophilanthropist    ,,london3        
,,printed  ,,published ,,by ,r4         
,,carlile1 #ee1 ,,fleet ,,street4       
#ahai4          ,,thoughts              
,religion1 in some form or other1 seems 
to have been observed by mankind1  in   
all ages and all parts of the world2 and
 considered as the most noble           
employment1 of the most divine nature1  
and producing the most beneficial       
effects to society1 of all the objects  
that ever engaged their  attention3     
although from casual circumstances1 and 
interested motives  of individuals1     
there are as many modes and varieties of
 worship1 as  languages or nations on   
the face of the earth4    ,europeans    
have in general embraced ,christianity1 
as contained in  the ,bible1 which they 
call the ,word of ,god1 as the only true

 and  infallible system on earth1 and   
which only can lead us to eternal       
happiness4 ,this ,bible1 we have been   
taught to believe1 is holy1 just1       
perfect1 and superior to the human      
understanding2 so sacred1 that to  doubt
 or disbelieve it1 would entail on us   
inevitable never-ending  misery4 ,this  
doctrine1 being instilled into children 
by their nurses1  and enforced by terror
 at a riper age1 has long been assented 
to by the  generality of people1 who    
seldom think or enquire for themselves1 
but  are always more or less the dupes  
of designing men4    ,but the times are 
now changing2 the privilege of reasoning
 and believing  for ourselves begins to 
be exercised--freedom of enquiry        
abounds2 and  the natural inherent right
 of speaking and acting according to the
  dictates of our own conscience        
7without injuring society7 is happily   
enjoyed4 ,consequently1 impositions of  
every kind1 superstitious  prejudices1  
and the long worshipped fabrics of civil

 and religious  tyranny1 are daily      
growing into contempt1 and in all       
probability will  soon be torn from     
their foundations1 and consigned to that
 infamous  oblivion which they so highly
 merit4    ,to come more immediately to 
the point--the ,christian religion1 as  
generally practised1 presents itself as 
one of those monuments of  ignorance and
 credulity1 which the wisdom of the     
present generation is  probably destined
 to overthrow1 and to substitute a      
system more simple1  more pure1 and more
 agreeable to the dictates of reason4   
,the ,bible1 upon  examination1 we shall
 find deficient in many of the virtues  
that have  been ascribed to it4 ,as a   
human composition1 its merits have been 
greatly over-rated3 it is exceeded in   
sentiment1 invention1 style1 and  every 
other literary qualification4 ,the      
obscurity1 incredibility1 and           
obscenity1 so conspicuous in many parts 
of it1 would justly condemn the  works  
of a modern writer4 ,it contains a      

mixture of inconsistency and            
contradiction2 to call which the word of
 ,god1 is the highest pitch of          
extravagance3 it is to attribute to the 
,deity that which any person of  common 
sense would blush to confess himself the
 author of4    ,how are the rights and  
dignity of human nature insulted1       
degraded1 and  trampled upon6 how are   
mankind blinded1 deceived1 and led away 
by this  system6 how is the honour and  
character of the ,almighty affronted by 
the  absurd and impious doctrines it    
contains6 ,how is the sacred name of    
,god  abused and prostituted to the     
vilest and most execrable purposes1 by  
his  pretended worshippers6 ,and all for
 one simple1 evident end1 to gratify    
the pride and avarice of unprincipled1  
designing men6    ,but something more   
than declamation is necessary to support
 these  assertions4 ,i shall therefore  
give the reasons why ,i disbelieve the  
,christian system1 and all the arguments
 advanced in its favour4    ,as to the  

existing proofs of the divine authority 
of the ,bible1 whether  internal or     
external1 whether the evidence we feel  
in our own minds  on examining it1 or   
the miracles which are said to have     
attended its  propagation1 they are of  
no avail in convincing us of its divine 
origin3  and ,i do not think1 that      
independent of the prejudices of        
education1 and  the power of eloquence1 
there ever was a reasonable thinking    
man1 who  felt a sufficient internal    
evidence to convince him of the reality 
of  the whole of its doctrines4    ,with
 respect to the public proofs exhibited 
by its founders1 we find  them no       
stronger than those in favour of        
,mahometanism1 or perhaps any  other    
system4 ,mahomet is said to have wrought
 as many miracles1 preached  as good    
doctrine1 converted ten times as many   
followers1 and was far  more successful 
in all his enterprizes1 however bold or 
difficult1 than  ,jesus ,christ4 ,the   
,christians say1 the ,mahometan miracles

 were nothing  but impostures2 and the  
,mahometans say1 with as much authority1
 that the  ,christian miracles were the 
same4    ,if the gospel system was so   
clear1 so reasonable1 and so powerful1  
as  its advocates assert1 what necessity
 could there have been for miracles  to 
support it8 ,if it had any foundation in
 reason and nature1 there  would have   
been no occasion for mystery1 miracle1  
or revelation1 to  confirm it4 ,a       
doctrine that is reasonable and true1   
will appear so to  every unprejudiced   
mind1 without the aid of any thing      
supernatural4  ,consequently1 that      
system which requires miraculous        
assistance to  establish it1 and cannot 
be proved by human means1 is neither    
reasonable  nor true4    ,supposing the 
,bible to have been written by divine   
inspiration1 at  the times1 and by the  
persons mentioned in it1 still it is    
next to  impossible1 that it could have 
been transmitted down to the present    
time  pure and uncontaminated1 even if  

there had been but one nation and one   
language upon earth4 ,the variety of    
translations and editions it has  passed
 through in the course of near #ahjj    
years1 if it has existed  so long1      
7which ,i am inclined to disbelieve of  
many parts7 and the  continual          
improvements and alterations in human   
language1 during  that period1 amount to
 a presumptive proof that the sense has 
been  unavoidably mistaken1 or wilfully 
perverted4 ,a confirmation of this      
remark is open to all3 let any one take 
the trouble of comparing  different     
copies of the ,bible1 printed in the    
last and present  centuries1 or even in 
the same year1 and he will often find a 
striking  disagreement4    ,admitting   
that the ,bible contains the only       
doctrine by which we  can obtain        
salvation and everlasting life1 which of
 the numberless  professions that have  
sprung out of it are we to embrace8 ,one
 sect tells  us that there is no        
salvation out of the pale of their      

church4 ,another  tells us1 that unless 
we believe and practise their doctrines1
 we shall  surely be damned4 ,let us    
believe1 therefore1 in whatever         
particular  profession we may1 we shall 
be damned according to the principles of
 the  others4    ,how gracious and      
beneficent is the ,christian system6 so 
perfect and pure  that it creates so    
many different1 distinct1 and opposite  
denominations  of believers2 all of them
 right1 infallibly right1 in their own  
opinions1 and proving their doctrine by 
the clear1 in-contestible  authority of 
divine revelation6    ,many1 as an      
excuse for countenancing a doctrine     
which they confess may  not be true1    
say1 that if the ,christian religion be 
false1 it is still  very hurtful to     
attempt to overturn it2 as we have no   
better guide1 and  no other method to   
restrain the passions and regulate the  
conduct of  mankind2 as it is the most  
perfect and beneficial system that could
 be  devised4 ,to determine this1 we    

must look at its effects4    ,that      
doctrine which has the greatest tendency
 to secure our present  and future      
happiness is the best2 it proves itself 
to be so4 ,that the  ,christian system  
does not tend to make us happier1 may   
easily be shewn1  by tracing its natural
 operations on the human mind4 ,by it we
 are led  to believe1 that we are all   
miserable and ruined wretches2 corrupt  
and  exceedingly wicked from our very   
birth2 naturally sinful1 and opposed to 
the will of ,god in all our actions1    
words1 and thoughts2 and so far from    
deserving the common blessings of life1 
that if justice had been  done us1 we   
should long since have been cast into   
endless punishment4  ,tribulation1      
distress1 and sore trials1 are the      
common lot of mankind1  especially the  
good4 ,whom the ,lord loveth he         
chasteneth4 ,this world1  it tells us1  
is a wretched1 tiresome1 and accursed   
place2 a mere sink of  guilt and misery2
 and all its enjoyments vanity and      

vexation of spirit4  ,though by the bye1
 those who are called sincere and pious 
,christians  seem to be as desirous of  
continuing in it1 and tasting the good  
thing's  it affords1 as the most sensual
 and worldly-minded sinner4 ,it likewise
  instils into its followers such a     
servile fear1 and dread of the wrath  of
 heaven1 that they can neither lie down 
at night1 nor rise in the  morning1     
without first attempting1 by intreaty1  
flattery1 and fair  promises1 to appease
 the ,divine anger1 and persuade the    
,almighty to  permit them to exist in   
peace4 ,every accident is a judgement1  
and a  prelude to further punishment4   
,every misfortune that happens to their 
neighbours is a warning to them2 and    
they are liable every moment to be  cut 
off by an avenging ,god1 and sent to    
,hell4    ,while on the one hand1 they  
represent the ,deity as their servant1  
to assist them on every occasion1       
averting every ill they bring upon      
themselves1 and extricating them from   

every difficulty and distress  they     
plunge themselves into2 on the other he 
is supposed to be a fierce1  revengeful 
tyrant1 delighting in cruelty1 punishing
 his creatures for  the very sins which 
he causes them to commit2 and creating  
numberless  millions of immortal souls1 
that could never have offended him1 for 
the express purpose of tormenting them  
to all eternity4 ,thus they  are        
generally miserable through life1 in    
meditating on death and its  supposed   
consequences4    ,the authority of the  
,bible appears still more doubtful from 
the  absurdities and contradictions it  
contains2 contradictions which all the  
sophistical ingenuity of reverend       
divines1 with their literal meaning  of 
this text1 and spiritual interpretation 
of that1 can never explain or           
reconcile4    ,in the very first chapter
 of the whole volume1 containing an     
account of  the creation1 we find an    
inexplicable difficulty4 ,in ,genesis i4
 #bg1 #bh1  we are told1 that ,god      

created man1 male and female1 blessed   
them1  and said unto themc4 ,but in ii4 
#bj1 we find that there was not an  help
 meet for ,adam3 therefore1 ver4 #ah1   
,god said1 it is not good that  man     
should be alone4 ,and1 ver4 #bb1 he made
 a woman1 and brought her  unto the man4
    ,the ,almighty1 according to many   
parts of the ,bible1 is a perfect1      
unchangeable being4 ,in ,isaiah1 he is  
said to declare1 that he is not  as a   
man1 that he should repent4 ,but in     
other places we read of his  repenting  
very frequently4 ,he repented that he   
had made man4 ,having  determined to    
destroy the ,israelites1 and having     
slain seventy thousand  of them1 he     
repented of the evil1 and spared the    
rest4 ,he told  ,hezekiah that he should
 surely die1 and not live1 but          
immediately  repented1 and gave him     
fifteen years longer4 ,jonah prophesied1
 in his  name1 that in forty days       
,nineveh should be overthrown2 but the  
people  believing him 7though he did not

 perform his promise7 and forsaking     
their sins1 he repented of the evil that
 he said he would do unto them1  and did
 it not4    ,in one place it says1 ,our 
,god is a consuming fire2 and in        
another1  ,god is love4 ,he is said to  
be ,jealous1 revengeful1 and angry with 
the  wicked every day2 and pleased again
 as often as they repent3 possessing    
all the good and evil qualities of man1 
that unstable1 wicked1  miserable1 and  
insignificant worm4 ,notwithstanding all
 this1 he is  perfectly just1 wise1     
immutable1 and can never repent4    ,the
 ,christian system1 ,i venture to       
affirm1 has been the cause of  more evil
 in the world1 than any other that ever 
appeared in it4 ,by  inculcating a      
belief that the ,deity was a terrible   
,god1 an inexorable  judge1 taking      
vengeance on all his enemies2 its       
professors1 wishing to  conform as much 
as possible to the character and        
disposition of their  ,god1 have in all 
ages acted with the same spirit1 and    

upon the same  principles3         ,o   
let this strong1 unerring hand1         
,thy bolts for ever throw2       ,and   
deal damnation round the land1       ,on
 each ,i judge thy foe4      ,inspired  
with the most vindictive hatred to all  
who do not subscribe to  the principles 
they profess 7who are1 according to     
their faith1 enemies2  for they say1    
there is no medium or neutrality1 all   
who are not for  us are against us27    
they have never failed1 in any country1 
and at  all times1 when they had the    
power1 to exercise the most cruel and   
detestable spirit that ever disgraced   
human nature4 ,not contented with       
insulting1 oppressing1 enslaving1 and   
butchering the poor heretics here1  but 
most humanely and charitably condemning 
them to everlasting torments  hereafter4
    ,during the first #cbj years of its 
existence1 ,christianity occasioned  the
 destruction of many millions of        
mankind4 ,in the first part of this     
period1 the ,christians were the        

greatest sufferers2 but in the year     
#cab ,maxentius and his army of         
#bjj1jjj1 were most of them drowned in  
the  ,tiber1 or slain by ,constantine1  
the ,christian emperor2 who1 in three   
great battles1 in one of which #ajj1jjj 
were killed1 reduced and put to  death  
,licinus1 the deputy emperor of the     
,east2 persecuted the ,heathens  and    
destroyed their idols1 the symbols of   
their divinities4    ,in the twelfth and
 subsequent centuries1 millions of      
,waldenses and  ,protestants were       
murdered in the south of ,france4 ,how  
many millions lost  their lives in the  
mad crusades for the recovery of the    
,holy ,land6  ,in ,germany and          
,flanders1 in ,england1 ,scotland1 and  
,ireland1 in ,south  ,america4 ,but ,i  
stop1 or ,i could a tale unfold1 whose  
lightest word  would harrow up the soul1
 chill the blood with horror1 and draw  
forth  curses from the grave against the
 very name of a religion which has been 
made the pretext for such cruelties4    

,indeed1 it is impossible to calculate  
the mischief that has attended  the     
,christian system since its             
commencement4 ,but1 say its advocates1  
all  this was done by ,antichrist1 or   
the false church4 ,which then is the    
true  church8 ,not that which           
persecutes4 ,and what church is that8   
,the  church of ,rome8 ,no3 for that1   
after long struggles1 no sooner became  
established in power1 than it persecuted
 its dissenting sons with all  the zeal 
and barbarity that it had experienced   
from its enemies4 ,the  church of       
,england8 ,no3 for although that        
separated from the church of  ,rome1 and
 rejected many of the errors and        
corruptions which had crept  into it2   
yet no sooner was it fully established  
in ,great ,britain1 than  it very       
carefully trod over the steps of the    
mother church1 persecuted  ,roman       
,catholics1 and all ,dissenters4 ,the   
,puritans1 who fled to this  country for
 the sake of freedom of conscience and  

religious liberty1  were no sooner      
settled1 than they discovered the same  
illiberal  persecuting spirit which     
drove them hither1 and persecuted the   
,quakers  in their turn2 becoming as    
corrupt as any of the former churches4  
,each  of them1 while they were weak and
 defenceless1 suffered by the murderous 
hand of its oppressors2 and1 when become
 strong and powerful1 persecuted  and   
martyred its feebler enemies4 ,and ,i   
believe there is not a church in        
,christendom but would1 if it could not 
convert1 most gladly destroy  all its   
opposers2 had it that one essential and 
only necessary quality1  power4 ,for    
they affirm1 that the world1 with all   
its blessings1 are  nothing but         
temptations to draw them away from their
 true interest2 and  that unbelievers of
 every kind are their natural implacable
 enemies4    ,the carnal mind1 say they1
 is enmity to ,god and his people1      
7themselves7  and is in continual       
opposition to every thing good and      

heavenly2 they  must then of necessity  
wage an eternal war against all who do  
not  acknowledge their system1 as the   
only sure1 guide to heaven4    ,the     
powerful blow which has been aimed at   
this system of faith by  ,paine's ,age  
of ,reason1 has created a general and   
well-founded alarm4  ,that work1 to     
every bigotted or interested follower of
 ,christianity1  appears in a dreadful  
light indeed1 as it is a direct attack  
upon their  favourite1 their            
dearly-beloved system of gospel faith1  
which exalts  them1 in their own        
opinions1 so much above the rest of     
mankind4    ,the ,christian theology is 
so favourable to the pride and vanity of
 man1  that the slightest attempt to    
overturn it occasions an universal panic
  in its supporters1 who immediately    
display all the ensigns of their  cause1
 the pompous1 high-sounding anathemas of
 ,scripture1 to frighten  the bold      
invader of their arial territories4 ,so 
far they act  consistently2 for where   

they have no weapons or defence from    
nature  and reason1 fear and hope1      
though unfounded and delusive1 are the  
only  expedients left4 ,by representing 
the terrors of their law in the most    
horrid colours1 the wretched victim of  
their designs cries out in the  depth of
 despair1 ,lord1 what shall ,i do to be 
saved8 ,the work is  then in a certain  
way of success2 the convert gives       
himself up to the  direction of the     
church in all things1 and is ever after 
the passive  tool of its power4 ,these  
converts are seldom or never made by    
pure  reason and sound argument1 for    
these would never answer the purpose2   
but  the passions1 which may be driven  
by every gale that blows1 the fickle    
and inconstant passions1 are so         
influenced by the power of false        
eloquence in violent declamations and   
vehement harangues1 that the calm1  even
 voice of reason is not heard1 or is    
disregarded1 amidst the bustle  of      
jarring emotions2 and the poor          

frightened wretch catches hold of the   
first object that is held out to save   
him from his fancied perishing and      
undone condition4 ,without ever once    
considering whether the profession  they
 embrace is founded in nature and       
reason1 they confide wholly in the      
piety of their spiritual teacher1 leave 
their faith and hope altogether  in his 
hands1 and trust entirely upon his      
promises and power4 ,their  belief he   
can alter or abolish at pleasure2 for   
what he preaches they  must adhere to2  
what he allows they must profess2 what  
he approves must  be true4    ,in fact1 
the ,christian system has never yet been
 weighed in the  impartial balance of   
reason1 or received a candid trial in   
the thinking  world4 ,force1 fraud1 and 
other unfair means have always been     
necessarily  employed for its           
establishment4 ,had it been founded on  
truth1 or  consistent with common sense1
 its advocates would never have refused 
to  submit it to reason1 and the cool1  

dispassionate judgement of mankind4     
,but they well knew that it could never 
stand the test1 and this would  be the  
certain means of its destruction4 ,they 
therefore boldly and  presumptuously    
tell the world1 that it is beyond the   
reach of human  reason1 which is not    
competent to judge rightly of it4 ,they 
confess that  we cannot comprehend a    
great part of it2 but at the same time  
command us  to believe it1 though we    
cannot understand it4    ,it has been   
the peculiarly honourable lot of ,thomas
 ,paine1 the firm  advocate of truth1   
the undaunted champion of reason1 and   
the resolute  and unconquerable enemy of
 tyranny1 bigotry1 and prejudice1 to    
open  the door to free and impartial    
enquiry4 ,he has boldly entered the     
field himself1 and taught the world1    
that no true system of principles1      
however sacred they may be held in the  
public opinion1 and however  strongly   
protected and enforced by the terrors of
 man's vengeance  here1 and eternal     

punishment hereafter1 is too awful to be
 canvassed by  reason1 or too sublime to
 be comprehended by common sense4       
,the ,christian system1 as it is not    
consistent with reason1 is declared  to 
be above it2 and should be received even
 if it does not appear clear  and       
intelligible to our human capacities4   
,this by prohibiting enquiry1           
effectually prevents detection of       
falsehood  and confirmation of truth4   
,the doctrine is received upon trust1   
upon the  credit of our forefathers2    
because1 they taught1 or rather said so1
  we must implicitly believe so1 all the
 remonstrances of reason and  experience
 to the contrary notwithstanding4       
,this is certainly a very great         
absurdity4 ,for there once was a        
beginning  to every system or theory in 
being2 and at that beginning it was     
necessary to exercise reason as the     
unerring guide to direct in the  choice 
or rejection thereof4 ,if mankind were  
not only allowed1 but  necessitated to  

weigh every doctrine in the infallible  
balance of  reason1 at any time1 why are
 we not entitled to the same privilege  
at present8 ,is our reason degenerated8 
,are our faculties impaired8  ,or       
rather1 are we not far more wise and    
enlightened than mankind were  centuries
 ago1 and much more competent to        
understand and judge of things  than    
they were8 ,by the practice before      
mentioned1 by that tyranny over  the    
minds of men1 which has ever been       
exercised in despotic states1 the       
grossest falsehoods have been forced    
upon the world for realities1 and  the  
most detestable impositions established 
and maintained in all the  strength and 
vigour of immutable truth4    ,but these
 arts1 how long soever they may prosper1
 and by whatever  authority they may be 
supported2 though they may call to their
 aid all  the powers of superstition and
 prejudices of education1 and be        
assisted  by the pride and deceit of    
hypocritical bigots and mercenary       

tyrants2  still must they finally fall1 
and sink into contemptuous oblivion4    
,the  present state of society seems    
peculiarly adapted to the advancement   
of truth1 and destruction of error4 ,the
 sun of reason has begun to  appear1    
dispelling the thick and almost         
impenetrable mists of ignorance  and    
superstition1 illuminating the most     
secret recesses of the mind1  and will  
continue to increase in splendour1 till 
it shine forth in one  clear1 unclouded1
 and eternal day4    ,the writings of   
modern philosophers have served greatly 
to illuminate  the minds of the present 
generation4 ,i will here1 quote ,pope's 
beautiful  description of that sublime  
and heavenly religion1 which mankind in 
a state of nature professed1 contrasted 
with that distorted1 gloomy  religion   
which has been imposed on mankind by    
power and fraud4         ,man1 like his 
,maker1 saw that all was right1         
,to virtue1 in the paths of pleasure1   
trod1       ,and own'd a father when he 

own'd a ,god4       ,love all the faith1
 and all th' allegiance then2       ,for
 ,nature knew no light divine in men1   
,no ill could fear in ,god2 and         
understood       ,a sov'reign being but 
a sov'reign good4                       
,superstition taught the tyrant awe1    
,then shar'd the tyranny1 then lent it  
aid1       ,and ,gods of conq'rors1     
slaves of subjects made3       ,she1    
'midst the lightning's blaze and        
thunder's sound1       ,when rock'd the 
mountains1 and when groan'd the ground1 
,she taught the weak to bend1 the proud 
to pray1       ,to pow'r unseen1 and    
mightier far than they3       ,she1 from
 the rending earth and bursting skies1  
,saw ,gods descend and fiends infernal  
rise3       ,here fix'd the dreadful1   
there the blest abodes2       ,fear made
 her devils1 and weak hope her gods2    
,gods partial1 changeful1 passionate1   
unjust1       ,whose attributes were    
rage1 revenge1 or lust2       ,such as  
the souls of cowards might conceive1    

,and1 form'd like tyrants1 tyrants would
 believe4       ,zeal1 then1 not        
charity1 became the guide1       ,and   
hell was built on spite1 and heav'n on  
pride4       ,then sacred seeneth       
ethereal vault no more2       ,altars   
grew marble then1 and reek'd with gore3 
,then first the ,flamen tasted living   
food2       ,next his grim idol smear'd 
with human blood2       ,with heav'n's  
own thunders shook the world below2     
,and play'd the god an engine on his    
foe4    ,from an attentive perusal of   
such liberal1 enlightened writers as    
,pope1 ,locke1 ,hume1 c4 who were not   
interested in forcing any unnatural     
systems upon mankind1 whose only aim was
 the happiness of the human  race1 and  
from my own reflections1 ,i have adopted
 the following creed1  which ,i here    
submit to the impartial consideration of
 my fellow-citizens  of all             
denominations4    #a4 ,i believe in one 
,god1 or first cause1 wise1 powerful1   
and good2 and  too far above the        

influence of human actions to be        
affected by any thing  that can be done 
on earth4    #b4 ,i believe in the      
equality of men by nature 7though so    
different by  accident7 the universal   
power of conscience1 and the unerring   
authority  of natural reason4    #c4 ,i 
believe the whole duty of man is        
comprised in this one great  republican 
principle--,do just as you would be done
 unto4--,my reasons for  believing thus 
are1 in the first place1 that this first
 'cause is wise  and powerful beyond our
 conception1 is clearly evinced in the  
wonderful  formation and disposition of 
nature1 exhibited in every thing that we
  have any perception of4 ,that he is   
good1 the whole creation proves3 for  we
 find nothing made but what is useful1  
beneficial1 and conducive to  the       
happiness of the whole4 ,and that he is 
too far above the reach of  human       
actions to be affected by any thing that
 can be done on earth1 is  inferred from
 nature1 reason1 and experience3 for the

 only idea that we  can form of the     
,deity is1 that he is a perfect1        
unchangeable being2 and  if we suppose  
that he so particularly notices the     
conduct of mankind  as to be differently
 affected by their different actions1 we
 must allow  that he is an imperfect1   
changeable being1 liable to be pleased  
or vexed  at the mere will and pleasure 
of his creatures1 and dependent upon the
  whim and caprice of man4    ,in the   
second place1 it appears from the       
experience of mankind in all  ages1 that
 ,nature1 in the creation of man1 acts  
impartially and equally2  but leaves his
 talents1 disposition1 c4 to be         
regulated by mere  accidental           
circumstances4 ,that conscience has an  
universal power1 is  evident from the   
dislike and abhorrence1 with which all  
mankind look  upon actions that tend to 
the injury of society4 ,and not to      
believe in  the unerring authority of   
natural reason1 would be to accuse the  
,deity  of injustice for not creating us

 capable of distinguishing good from    
evil1 and then punishing us for the evil
 we commit4    ,in the third place1 that
 the whole duty of man is comprised in  
this one  great republican principle1   
,do as you would be done unto1 has      
appeared  so notorious to the world in  
all ages1 that it has been universally  
agreed upon1 as the unerring rule of    
action1 and the basis of happiness3  by 
the observing of which there can be     
neither oppression1 deceit1 or          
injustice of any kind4 ,the duty of man 
is his interest2 his interest is  to    
make himself happy2 and the surest and  
best way of doing this is to  promote   
the prosperity of the whole4            
,finally1 that system of religion which 
contradicts itself1 cannot be  wholly   
true4--,that which is not consistent    
with reason1 or agreeable to  the order 
of nature1 must be false1 as different  
from the will of the  ,deity1 displayed 
in all his works3--,and1 that which     
tends to promote  discord1 pride1 and   

deceit1 is prejudicial to society1 and  
ought to be  discountenanced and opposed
 by every good man4          ,,on       
,,miraculous ,,conversions4      ,it    
appears to be the general opinion among 
the learned1 that all matter  is1 more  
or less1 in a continual state of        
transmutation2 that there is a          
perpetual repulsion and attraction in   
nature4 ,it is also the opinion of  many
 philosophers1 that the human mind is   
never quite stationary4    ,that        
locality1 early habits1 examples1       
affections1 and associations have  the  
greatest effect in forming the          
characters and opinions of men1 is      
evident to our senses2 and that after   
the character may be considered  to be  
formed1 a contrary course of habits1 c4 
of equally long or longer  continuance  
will generally produce a contrary       
character4    ,every attentive observer 
must perceive1 that we sometimes dislike
 and  entertain an unfavourable opinion 
of what we at another time approve and  

cordially agree to4 ,to a cursory       
examiner these alterations may appear   
to take place arbitrarily3 but to one   
acquainted with the philosophy  of the  
human mind1 accustomed minutely to trace
 the different links and  associations  
which bias our ideas1 they will appear1 
so far from being  arbitrary or         
supernatural1 to be perfectly natural   
and agreeable to  the wise order of     
things4 ,it would seem that most parties
 agree to the  reasons given by the     
learned for such alterations1 c41 except
 they be  in matters of religion2 here  
each party abandons the usual methods of
  philosophising1 and has recourse to   
the supernatural interference of  divine
 agency4    ,that extraordinary         
instances of conversion from vice to    
virtue1 from  error to truth1 sometimes 
take place1 for which the most profound 
and  subtle reasoners fail to give      
satisfactory causes1 is most readily    
granted2 but still it may be said1 that 
our not being able to trace a  natural  

cause is no proof of there being none2  
for past experience has  abundantly     
proved to the world the folly of such   
kind of inferences4  ,many things in    
science and philosophy are now even     
demonstrable1 that  formerly were1 with 
equally good reason1 considered to be   
miraculous or  supernatural4    ,there  
are many reasons for considering the    
religious conversions not  supernatural4
 ,there are no human criteria to        
determine when they are  from ,god and  
when they are not4 ,so many and so      
frequent impositions and  deceptions    
take place1 that there is no            
distinguishing the false from  the true4
    ,these enlightenments are equally   
claimed by every sect1 however          
different in opinion4 ,now1 supposing   
them to be from ,god1 we are under  the 
necessity of believing that there can be
 only one sect which can  really have   
them2 for it would be absurd to suppose 
the ,immutable  ,creator of all things  
would inspire his creatures to believe1 

as true1  opposite and different        
doctrines2 and the confining of the     
divine  influence to one sect only1     
certainly appears to be partial and     
arbitrary1 and contrary to the saying1  
that ,god is no respecter of  persons4  
,people professing to be converted can  
never give a satisfactory  explanation  
of their state1 either to others or     
themselves1 so as to do  away all       
apprehension that they may not be       
actuated by impulse1 fear1  affections1 
c41 with a variety of other natural     
causes which every day  make astonishing
 alterations in the minds of men4    ,we
 sometimes meet with individuals who at 
one time considered themselves  to be   
inspired1 and shewed every outward sign1
 and afterwards declare  they conceive  
they never were4    ,sudden and         
extraordinary changes frequently take   
place for the  worse2 but these are     
never accounted as supernatural4 ,it    
appears that  conversions most          
frequently take place after some        

circumstances which  naturally have a   
tendency to fix the attention1 soften   
the affections1  affect the passions1   
and subdue the will2 such as attending  
religious  discourses1 the deathbed of a
 friend1 extreme pain1 poverty1 and     
distress1 c4 ,now1 may not these be said
 to account for the first  natural link8
 ,then why should the rest of the chain 
be miraculous8 ,if  these observations  
were untrue1 we might expect to find    
conversions  occur as frequently among  
one sort of society as among another2   
but that  is not the case4    ,it is    
observable in religious as well as in   
other operations of the  mind1 that     
those alterations which are the most    
sudden and vehement1 are  generally more
 transient than those which take place  
more gradually and  after accountable   
associations4    ,we might naturally    
expect that those divinely inspired     
would be superior  to the weaknesses of 
passion and imperfections of nature     
incidental to  others2 but our converts 

appear not to be4 ,these supernatural   
affections  are unattended with any     
discernibly supernatural effects2 the   
possessors  of them never perform       
miracles6    ,from these observations it
 is presumed1 that there is abundant    
reason  for apprehending that those     
conversions termed supernatural are     
nothing  more than nature acting upon   
the mind of man1 agreeably to those wise
  and immutable laws laid down by the   
adorable ,maker of all things2 and  the 
reason of our terming them miraculous   
is1 because we are unable with  our weak
 faculties to trace the wonderful       
concatenations1 and view the  infinite  
variety of shades of which the          
intellectual part of man is             
susceptible4 ,at the same time it is    
confessed1 that it being a matter of    
internal feeling1 and what cannot       
perhaps be demonstrated either way1 no  
arguments on the subject can be hoped of
 any material benefit1 either to  the   
person who supposes himself to have it1 

but cannot explain it1 or to  him that  
has it not1 and cannot conceive it4     
,bristol1    ,,theophilanthropist4      
,feb4 #ah1ahai4            ,a ,,few     
,,ideas ,,on ,,the ,,christian          
,,religion4      ,it appears1 that at   
least #ii persons in #ajj take their    
religious  opinions from their parents1 
and according to education1 c4 without  
ever afterwards examining for           
themselves4 ,now1 as this belief arises 
from causes that are variable and quite 
independent of the believers1  it       
follows1 that there is no security      
whatever for its being true1 the  chance
 being always against it3 consequently1 
such persons' opinions are  of no weight
 in the dispute4    ,a due attention to 
this consideration will1 it is presumed1
 render the  number of real believers   
and unbelievers in ,christian countries 
much  less unequal than at first we may 
be inclined to suppose4    ,the evidence
 for ,christianity is founded on        
probabilities by a process  of          

reasoning1 not being intuitive or       
self-evident4 ,the contrary of its      
being true can easily be conceived and  
does not imply a contradiction4         
,owing to the different constitutions of
 the human mind1 there always  is1 more 
or less1 a certain difference of opinion
 upon all subjects in  proportion to    
their want of self-evident proof4 ,then1
 when a subject  confessedly has it not1
 ought we to expect from it those       
universal  results which it could only  
produce by having it8    ,that there    
should be many who are not satisfied    
with the evidence of  the ,christian    
religion is not to be wondered at1 since
 it is not of  that nature to produce   
universal acquiescence4 ,where then can 
be the  propriety of inveighing so      
bitterly against some for rejecting     
what1  according to the nature of       
things1 all cannot be expected to       
receive8  ,assuredly1 the sin of        
doubting must be proportional to the    
evidence2  then why should we attach the

 same punishment for disbelieving things
  that are not self-evident as we do for
 things that are8    ,with regard to the
 assertions1 that 'tis their pride      
prevents their  belief1 that they make a
 ,deity of their reason1 and put        
themselves  in opposition to ,heaven1 c4
 it may be seriously asked1 ,are these  
assertors sincere in what they say1 or  
is it merely spleen they1 or any  one1  
for an instant conceive it to be        
possible for a man in his  senses1 who  
has any idea of his ,maker1 or of       
himself1 and is so deeply  interested in
 the subject1 to act in such a way8     
,there may be some reason for           
considering that doctrine to be false   
which  might cause us to think existence
 a curse1 rather than a blessing1 and   
to entertain views inconsistent with the
 ,divine ,nature4    ,if the orthodox   
opinions be correct1 how few among      
professors really  profess6 ,how small a
 proportion of mankind profess at all6  
,it follows1  according to even         

probability1 that the number of the     
saved will be  extremely small in       
proportion to that which is lost4 ,then1
 when a child  is born1 according to the
 laws of chances1 there are very great  
odds  against its being saved4 ,query1  
,whether it be a blessing to be born1 to
  run any risk at all of endless misery1
 even were they very contrary of  what  
they appear to be1 greatly in favour of 
everlasting bliss8    ,bristol1         
,,theophilanthropist4    ,feb4 #ah1ahaj4
          ,,deism ,,examined    ,by ,a  
,christian      ,it has often been said1
 that if ,christianity is not competent 
to  withstand the test of reason1 it    
ought to fall4    ,to this opinion ,i   
willingly subscribe2 and so confident am
 ,i of our  succeeding against our      
adversaries1 the ,deists1 that ,i am for
 truly  putting ,christianity to this   
trial4 ,that is1 ,i would that there    
should  be allowed as perfectly free    
discussion in all theological matters1  
that the ,age of ,reason1 and other     

works of a similar nature1 should be    
allowed to be published4 ,let the       
enemies of our religion bring forward   
their objections as fast as they like2  
have we not1 or our part1 a ready       
refutation for every one of them8       
,the ,deists1 ,i know1 have strongly    
contended1 that many actions recorded   
in the ,bible1 said to have been done by
 the express command of ,god1 are       
shocking to humanity1 and in            
contradiction to all our ideas of moral 
justice4 ,such as putting whole nations 
to the sword2 sparing neither age  nor  
infancy2 utterly destroying men1 women1 
and children2 leaving not a  soul to    
breathe1 c4 c4 ,but does not the ,bishop
 of ,llandaff reconcile  this seeming   
incongruity1 and vindicate the morality 
of the sacred  writings by explaining1  
that1 as the ,almighty constantly       
superintends  all the actions of nature1
 and in so doing permits1 or rather     
causes  smiling infants so to be        
swallowed up by earthquakes1 or         

destroyed by  other natural means2 it is
 evident that these shocking            
transactions 7as  they are called7      
recorded in the ,bible1 do not militate 
in the least  against the character of  
the ,deity4 ,the unbelievers certainly  
may bring  a puerile argument against   
this profound assertion of the          
,bishop's2  but the ,christian who truly
 appreciates the real value of an       
unwavering  faith1 will have for such   
argument a thorough contempt1 even      
before he  reads it4 ,they may tell us1 
if they choose1 that nature being       
actuated  by general and unvarying laws1
 it is not to be supposed the ,almighty1
 in  order to save a human creature1    
will perform a miracle4 ,or 7to state   
the case more particularly7 if a society
 of human beings will be so  unthinking 
and imprudent1 as to make their         
residence at the bottom of  ,mount      
,vesuvius1 or ,etna1 that the ,creator  
will partially suspend the  laws of     
nature1 in order that the burning lavas 

may not overwhelm them  in destruction2 
or1 that if mortals will be so          
presumptuous as to  build their         
dwellings on the site of former         
desolations1 as ,lisbon for  instance1  
that the ,almighty will interpose1 in   
order to prevent the  recurrence of     
another earthquake2 or that ,god will in
 any case partially  suspend the eternal
 laws of the universe1 in order to      
preserve a mortal  that may be          
accidentally liable to be destroyed by  
their effects4 ,they  may tell us all   
this if they choose1 and likewise1 that 
this is quite  another thing1 to an     
express command from ,god himself to one
 set of  human beings to annihilate     
another4--,thus we refute it all3 such  
arguments are built on human reason1    
which it behoves every pious  ,christian
 to distrust6    ,let them assert1 that 
,jesus ,christ himself1 7if there was   
such a  person7 has proved the delusion 
he laboured under1 since he actually and
  distinctly predicted1 in more places  

than one1 that his second coming  would 
be in the days of the last surviving    
apostles1 and that the  apostles        
themselves sufficiently shew by their   
writings1 that such was  their opinion4 
,let them descant upon the description  
of his coming in  the clouds 7as related
 in the gospel7 with the trumpets       
sounding before  him1 and call it a mere
 representation of human pageantry1 and 
unworthy  of being imputed to the       
,almighty ,creator1 who has millions of 
millions  of worlds at his command6 ,we 
thus refute the first part of this      
misrepresentation4 ,jesus1 after        
predicting the destruction of           
,jerusalem1  as we find it now related1 
speaks of his second coming1 and gives a
  description how he will appear in the 
clouds1 with the angels sounding  their 
trumpets before him1 c4 c4 and then     
continues thus3 ,verily  ,i say unto    
you1 this generation shall not pass     
away1 till all these  things be         
fulfilled4 ,now it is evident1 that this

 last verse can  only allude to the     
destruction of ,jerusalem1 and that the 
passage is  misplaced by many sentences4
 ,it is true1 we have no vouchers for   
this1  nor can we perceive what instance
 there could have been for any one  to  
have made the alteration2 but as more   
than seventeen centuries have  revolved 
since the death of ,christ1 and no      
second coming yet taken  place1 we are  
fully justified in maintaining the      
passage to be  misplaced4    ,the       
,deists accuse us of all along          
suppressing their works1 and  certainly1
 in this respect1 ,i must acknowledge we
 have acted unfairly4  ,they say that   
most of the ancient productions on their
 side the  question are lost2 while the 
answers to them are still extant4 ,from 
this  circumstance they infer1 designing
 and superstitious monks and priests1   
in order to remove every thing out of   
the way that might militate  against    
their doctrine1 destroyed all the       
writings of their opponents1  while they

 carefully preserved those of their own 
party4 ,it is likewise  affirmed1 the   
book entitled the ,age of ,reason1 is a 
more formidable  enemy to ,christianity 
than any work ever before published1 and
  threatens1 should it become popular1  
to shake its flimsy fabric 7for  thus   
they speak of our religion7 to its very 
foundation2 that the charge  of         
blasphemy is brought against it to      
suppress it1 solely from fear of  this  
consequence1 and that our oft repeated  
assertion1 if ,christianity  cannot     
withstand the test of reason it ought to
 fall1 is a mere  mockery1 for1 in fact1
 we fully prove our intention is1 never 
to bring  our doctrine to such a        
tribunal4 ,i am very sorry that this    
last charge  against us is not          
altogether unfounded4 ,why should not   
the arguments of  our opponents be      
allowed to be published8 their authors  
would very  soon1 ,i am fully persuaded1
 meet with a total discomfiture1 and    
find our  ,polemics more than competent 

to justify their own cause4    ,every   
one knows that ,mr4 ,paine was          
illiterate1 that is1 he only knew his   
own language perfectly1 and had a       
smattering of ,french4 ,now1 have we    
not bishops1 deacons1 lecturers1        
curates1 c4 who are acquainted with     
,hebrew1 ,greek1 ,syriac1 ,arabic1      
,latin1 and several other tongues1      
living  as well as dead2 and surely1 it 
would be strange1 if1 with all  this    
various learning1 aided by their        
laborious researches into the           
antiquated writings of the primitive    
,christians1 7those credible  attesters 
of miracles and witchcraft17 that they  
should not be able to  overturn such a  
paltry antagonist as ,thomas ,paine2    
who1 alas6 made use  of no other weapon 
but human reason2 who ridiculed ,faith  
as a mere  chimera2 and maintained1 that
 a strict observance of moral virtue    
constituted the only worship that was in
 reality pleasing to the  ,deity4       
,physiologists have asserted1 ,i know1  

that the human brain is only  capable of
 a certain degree of active energy1 and 
that every additional  talent we may    
acquire must be gained at the expence of
 all the other  powers2 and that1       
consequently1 he who is familiar with a 
variety of  languages cannot possibly   
think very profoundly in any1 the whole 
of  his intellect being absorbed1 and   
the pure ideal part of it absolutely    
extinguished1 in the complicated matter 
of grammatical construction1 and  the   
endless labour of committing to memory  
the various characters and  innumerable 
quantity of words necessary for         
obtaining such knowledge4 ,on  the other
 hand1 it is boldly averred1 that he who
 knows his own language  perfectly1 and 
no other1 may become1 as it were1 in his
 very essence1  a compound of thought   
and reflection1 capable of drawing1 from
 the  luminous stores of his own        
understanding alone1 arguments that     
shall put  to flight all the scholastic 
quibbling of the mere ,christian        

linguist1  causing the gloom engendered 
by his subtilties to vanish like mist   
before the sun4    ,the ,deists accuse  
us of disturbing the last moments of the
 virtuous1 and  terrifying their        
imaginations with the prospect of       
eternal damnation4  ,they say1 that when
 such infatuated persons 7whose bodily  
weakness  renders them more than        
childish7 become overwhelmed with the   
dreadful  picture1 and give way to the  
weakness of humanity1 that we then      
infer1  they had a proper sense of the  
enormity of their guilt before they     
died2  and that we then exclaim1 in the 
gloomy pomposity of the fanatic ,young1 
,men may live fools1 but fools they     
cannot die6    ,this quotation1 when    
applied to the case in question1 the    
,deists  maintain to be unjust1 and are 
for making a new reading1 as being      
rather  more applicable1 viz4           
,men may live wisely1 but fools they    
often die6    ,shame6 the ,deists cry1  
forbear to disturb the departing        

moralist with  your strange dogmas6 ,his
 sole trust is in his ,creator1         
therefore let his  last hours be spent  
in peace6 ,your interference is useless1
 and as it  adds to the sufferings of   
expiring humanity1 may well be termed   
impious  and cruel4 ,and further1 what  
conviction can be gained from making    
public  the imbecile and terror-extorted
 confessions made by the dying2 for as  
,rousseau rightly observes1 it is 'our  
reason that determines our  belief1 and 
when1 through sickness1 that faintly    
becomes impaired1 what  dependence can  
be placed on any opinion we may then    
adopt8' ,all this  seems at the first   
glance very striking and imposing1 but  
is easily  refuted4 ,i shall confine    
myself1 however1 to only answering the  
latter  part of the above4 ,i maintain1 
then1 that even shouting our dogmas in  
the ears of the dying1#a and thereby    
disturbing their last moments1 is  a    
mere trifle1 when put in competition    
with the eternal advantages  that may by

 this means accrue to their souls4 ,it  
is well known1 that  ,christians        
formerly1 more generally than at        
present1 did not scruple  to compel men 
to become converts2 and when the        
heretics1 as they were  termed1         
obstinately held out1 they actually     
burnt them for the love  of ,christ6    
,this manner of proceeding ,dr4 ,paley  
has1 in some measure1  justified1 #b by 
affirming1 that as the salvation of the 
soul is a matter  of infinitely more    
importance than the well-being of the   
body1 so these  converters1 who actually
 believed salvation to exclusively      
depend on  the reception of their       
dogmas1 may be said to be in some sort  
excusable1  for endeavouring by all the 
means within their power to save a man's
  soul1 though his body1 in consequence1
 might be devoted to the flames4        
#a ,vide ,life of ,m4 de ,voltaire4     
#b ,vide ,haley's ,evidences of         
,christianity1 ,part ,,iii4 ,chap4      
vii4      ,some1 ,i know1 would go      

further1 and urge1 that even the burning
 of  those who were converted by the    
threats of the holy fathers1 was  not   
impolitic1 since it may be justified as 
the above principle1 of  preferring the 
welfare of the soul to that of the body4
 ,for might not  a new-made convert1    
made so against the evidence of his own 
reason1  recant1 and thus render all the
 pious zeal of those soul-preservers    
quite abortive8 ,nothing more likely1   
and therefore to make sure of his       
eternal felicity1 they were equally     
excusable in committing him to  the     
flames4 ,a similar principle influenced 
the pious ,monk towards the  unfortunate
 ,jew1 as related in a well-known but   
somewhat ancient story1  concluding with
 these lines3         ,drag1 drag me    
out--,i freeze--,i die4       ,your     
peace1 my friend1 is made on high2      
,full absolution here ,i give2          
,saint ,peter will your soul receive3   
,wash'd clean from sin1 and duly        
shriven1       ,new converts always go  

to heaven2       ,no hour for death so  
fit as this2       ,thus1 thus ,i launch
 you into bliss6       ,so said--the    
,father in a trice       ,his convert   
launch'd beneath the ice4      ,but     
enough of this bringing forward         
accusations and objections of the       
,deists1 and answering them myself4 ,let
 them be brought against us in  the     
regular way1 and we will readily refute 
them4 ,in fact1 there will  be some     
novelty in such an occupation to many of
 our divines1 who  have passed many     
years in the continued sameness of      
preaching to  congregations who are much
 too passive and obedient ever to       
dissent a  single syllable from the     
doctrine laid down4 ,it is now several  
years  since our ,doctors of ,divinity  
really exerted their talents1 viz4  ever
 since the first publicacation of the   
,age of ,reason4 ,i think it  downright 
inconsistency for our authorities to    
prosecute those who  publish works of   
this kind1 seeing those works absolutely

 benefit  ,christianity4 ,for did not   
the above production give rise to       
innumerable  answers1 each of which was 
sufficient in itself1 to prove the      
divine  origin and infalibillity of the 
sacred ,scriptures6 ,read ,bishop       
,watson's  ,apology for the ,bible1 for 
instance1 a work replete with genius2  a
 work which will confer lasting honour  
on its reverend author2 and  wherein we 
cannot perceive the least traces of what
 our adversaries  term priestcraft1 and 
not a single sentence which may be      
called a  quibble4 ,another answer to   
the ,age of ,reason1 by a wit1 named    
,robert  ,thompson1 also deserves to be 
made honourable mention of1 as being    
neither scurrilous nor contemptible2 as 
does likewise an answer1 by a  layman of
 the name of ,padman1 a work of vast    
profundity1 and in which  there is not  
to be found any perversion or pitiful   
misrepresentation of  passages in ,mr4  
,paine's book4 ,should these two last   
gentlemen be  still in existence1 and   

chance to peruse this1 they will be     
extremely  grateful1 ,i am sure1 for my 
thus noticing them2 but they may reserve
 all  thanks1 for the encomiums ,i have 
passed upon them are nothing more than  
their real deserts4 #a ,but to conclude4
 ,seeing1 ,i say1 that deistical  works 
are beneficial to our holy and only true
 religion1 by making  its ministers     
exert their talents1 let them be printed
 and freely  circulated1 and in so doing
 we shall no longer lay under the vile  
odium  of being oppressors and          
persecutors for righteousness sake4     
,a firm ,believer in the only true ,god1
 and a future state of ,retribution4    
,london1    ,jan4 #cj1 #ahai4         #a
 ,there is also a ,mr4 ,s4 ,thompson1 a 
member of the sect       called ,free   
,thinking ,christians1 who in a work    
entitled       ,evidences of ,revealed  
,religion on a new ,plan1 has           
attempted to answer some of the         
objections of ,mr4 ,paine2 but       as 
his arguments1 though said to be quite  

inconclusive1 have       too much the   
appearance of human reason1 ,i have not 
thought       proper to mention him as a
 person who has much benefited our      
cause2 and especially as ,i understand  
that implicit faith       forms no part 
of the creed of the above sect4         
,,the ,,end4