Glimpses of Christian History Presents Pastwords #85: The Deist Unmasked; Objections to Thomas Paine by Uzal Ogden ©2007

PAINE, THOMAS (1737-1809), political reformer and author of the Rights of Man. He was a native of Thetford in Norfolk and, though confirmed in the C of E, was greatly influenced by the principles of the Quakers, of which his father was a member. He was of an adventurous spirit, and after a chequered career as a sailor, staymaker, excise officer, and usher went to America in 1774 at the suggestion of Benjamin Franklin. There he became an editor, attacked slavery, and agitated for the emancipation of women. In 1776 he issued his pamphlet Common Sense in favour of American Independence, which soon made him famous. During the American War he wrote a series of pamphlets entitled The Crisis. He also devoted himself to the invention of an iron bridge which he exhibited in England after his return in 1787. In 1791 he published the first part of his famous Rights of Man in reply to E. Burke's Reflections on the Revolution in France. After the publication of the second part (1792) he fled to Paris to escape arrest. Here he was received with enthusiasm, but he lost his influence after the fall of the Girondists in 1792 and was arrested in the same year, after completing the first part of his Age of Reason (1794). He was released in 1794, having written the second part of his work in prison (publd. 1795). The Age of Reason, which aroused fierce opposition in both Britain and America, reflected the Quaker influence of his youth as well as that of contemporary Deism in its negative estimate of revealed religion, whose beliefs and institutions are ridiculed as full of superstition and bad faith. In 1802 he returned to America, where he spent his last years in disappointment, having lost most of his former friends through his political opinions and his hostility to Christianity.

t hath been frequently remarked, that DEISTS in general, are men of libertine conduct; or possessed of a vain conceit of their abilities, and pride themselves in rejecting what they denominate vulgar prejudices.

With respect to their abilities, who of them are equal to Bacon, Boyle, Locke, Newton, and many others who might be mentioned, who have done so much honor to human nature, to science and to christianity?

But what are the things which these unbelievers call vulgar prejudices? What but the SCOURGE of divine TRUTH which so lacerates them for the impiety of their conduct?

Several of these gentlemen, however, have, ineffectually, sought for peace of mind and a function to follow their evil propensities, under the covert of INFIDELITY. They have been compelled to flee from the delusions of Deism, and to seek for happiness and safety in the Gospel of CHRIST; and some of them, it is hoped, (and particularly Lord Rochester) have not sought the blessings of this dispensation of mercy in vain.

The licentiousness, however, of Deists; their pride and evil views in rejecting Divine Revelation, and penitential return of some of them, to the arms of christianity, are not mentioned as testimonies, on which any stress is laid, in favor of the gospel; they are, notwithstanding, evidences in its support, far superior to what Deism can boast of, with respect to its effects on the moral practice of any of its proselites; for, in all the annals of Deism, is there the least trace of evidence, that it hath reformed the morals even of ONE of its converts? But, on the contrary, is it not manifest, that many converts to infidelity, have become "seven fold more the children of Satan," then they were before!

And yet DEISM, the present rage of the French nation (the benign effects of which, in many respects, they so happily experience, especially in preserving men from assassinations, suicide, massacres, and the power of the guillotine) Mr. Paine, in the goodness of his heart, wishes to be the Religion of Americans! This expression alludes to a well known fact, that, unhappily, Mr. Paine is a drunkard.

The DEIST UNMASKED, &C.

PAINFUL is it to a benevolent mind, to expose an individual to public obloquy on account of the impropriety of his conduct. The interests, however, of virtue and religion; the good of human society, and various other particulars, often render such a measure, not only justifiable, but necessary.

Mr. Paine, during the American Revolution, by his patriotic writings and services, justly obtained our esteem and applause; and it was hoped, he having returned to Europe, that we should ever have had occasion to have revered his name. But this hope vanishes on his present paper appearance among us as an apostle of DEISM, to effect a revolution in our RELIGION; or, in language more pertinent, he having himself rebelled, to excite us to join in a REBELLION against GOD; to persuade us to renounce the divine system of christianity, which alone can dignify and bless human nature, and to embrace his falacious, gloomy and uncomfortable scheme of deism;-- a scheme, which, if adopted, would eventually rob us of virtue and happiness; plunge us into ignorance and error; superstition and idolatry, and fix on us the fetters of slavery.

To attract attention, and to captivate our hearts, Mr. Paine affects to appear in the enchanting dress of REASON; but as, in fact, he is attired in the despicable garb of VICE and FOLLY; IGNORANCE and IMPERTINENCE, it becomes a duty, that the unwary may be preserved from seduction, to divest this deistical ENTHUSIAST and INCENDIARY of his MASK, and to exhibit him in his genuine character.

The desultory objections contained in his pamphlet against divine revelation, may be methodized and reduced to the following particulars.

FIRST, his objections to the credibility of the Books of the Holy Scriptures:

SECONDLY, to some things contained therein; and

THIRDLY, miscellaneous objections to christianity. These objections shall be refuted, in the order they have been mentioned, under distinct heads, or parts: but previously, the author begs leave to make some detached observations; especially on certain passages in Mr. Paine's performance, which cannot be considered as objections to the christian religion.

Mr. Paine's Pamphlet was written, it seems, at Paris, and in prison. It is quite immaterial whether, in his delicate situation, this prison production was fabricated to ingratiate himself with the National Convention of France, by publicly declaring he was at least, as good a Deist as any of them, and therefore, perfectly French and Patriotic, with regard to his religious opinions. Equally unimportant is it, whether he commenced Deist because the resulgent light of Divine Revelation, gave too much pain to his reddened EYES of intemperance; and, therefore, in hopes of obtaining ease, closed them against the sun-beams of the gospel. Or whether he began his deistical career, even at seven years old, when the profundity of his knowledge and unequalled sagacity, caused him to discover the fraud of christianity and to be disgusted with it. Or of as little consequence is it to us, when he wrote this piece, whether he was impelled by ambition; influenced by delusion or actuated by blind zeal. Certain, however, it is, that his performance, as far as it is opposed to Divine Revelation, is devoid of REASON; except low wit and invective; sophistry and dogmatism, by denominated reason. Not less true is it, that his publication evinces, in several parts of it, his profound ignorance of the christian religion; particularly, where he mentions the people called QUAKERS as professing a religion distinct from christianity.

Not only blind, but preposterous is the zeal of Deists to propagate the principles of Infidelity. Their conduct, in this instance, to an attentive observer, exhibits a phenomenon of which no rational account can be given. We may, in some degree, account for a man's being impelled, by the violence of his passions, to do that which his mind disapproves and condemns. But that any person, with deliberation, should take pains to release men from all restraints of religion and conscience, and thereby, as far as is in his power, attempt to dissolve the bands of society and good government, in consequence of which he himself might be a sufferer, is such conduct as cannot be accounted for on any principles of common sense or sound policy, but must be regarded as hostile to liberty and patriotism. When the restraints of religion are dissolved, what can be expected, but that men should abandon themselves to the impulse of their passions? Human laws and penalties will be insufficient to restrain men from licentiousness, where there is no just sense of the Deity; no regard to a future state, or to the due punishment of vice, and the rewards of virtue hereafter. In proportion as a neglect, or contempt of religion obtains, dissoluteness of morals will prevail; and when a people, in general, become dissolute, probity and virtue, public spirit and a generous concern for the interests of the nation, will be extinguished. Certainly then, all who wish well to civil society and the happiness of mankind, should be anxious, that genuine christianity, in principle and practice, might generally prevail; and that vice and infidelity, should not predominate. It was justly observed by lord Bolingbroke, that "the good effects of maintaining, and bad effects of neglecting religion, were extremely visible in the whole course of the Roman government. That though the Roman religion established by Numa, was very absurd, yet by keeping up an awe of a superior power, and the belief of a Providence, that ordered the course of events, it produced all the marvellous effects which Machiavel, after Polybius, Cicero and Plutarch, ascribes to it." He adds, that the "neglect of religion was the principal cause of all the evils which Rome afterwards suffered. Religion decayed, and the state decayed with it." Works, vol. IV, p.428.

This instance of Mr. Paine's profound knowledge in divinity, reminds the writer of an example as profound of physical skill, displayed by a Mr. Varlo, in his attempt to account how fat is formed in animals. This learned and ingenious person supposes, that when the food is received into the body, the oily parts of the nourishment, evaporate, adhere to the carcase, and become consolidated into fat!! "Just, says he, as if we were to burn a great deal of tallow in a close room; for want of vent, the room and walls whereof would quickly be covered over with soot, which is no other than tallow itself, only that it has undergone a change in the nature and colour"!! And this admirable discovery, is termed "a piece of PHILOSOPHY"!! Varlo's NEW SYSTEM of husbandry, vol. I page 174. Ignorance of the real genius of christianity, is a distinguishing characteristic, it is believed, of most Deists. This is manifest from their writings, and frequently appears from their conversation. But one instance shall be related, out of many which might be adduced, to confirm this assertion. But very recently, a French Deist, in the state of New Jersey, was very politely, in a circle of christians, uttering invectives against their religion. A gentleman present, shocked by his wickedness; despising the indecorum of his conduct, and holding in contempt his senseless prating, took the liberty to ask him, "if he thought himself acquainted with the religion of the gospel; if he understood the sacred Scriptures?" --The Deist blushed, was covered with confusion, and frankly confessed, "That he had never read half a page in the Bible"! It is probable, that nothing more than a witticism or sarcasm of Voltaire, or some other deistical writer, against christianity; or the mere prevalence of fashion, had been sufficient to detach this gentleman from christianity, and proselite him to the present polite and easy religion of his country: And this religion it is not irrational to conclude, he is as well acquainted with, as with the Bible! Before the author concludes this note, he conceives it his duty to mention, in honor to such French Gentlemen as he hath been acquainted with in this country, that he hath but very seldom observed among them such an instance of rudeness, folly and impiety, as this above recited. At one period, we perceive many in the National Convention of France, receive with bursts of applause, a declaration of stupidity, "That there is no GOD"! At another period, we find the Convention solemnly decreeing, There is a GOD!

Most true also it is, that Mr. Paine is extremely wanting in decorum, and highly insults our understandings, when he attempts to obtrude on us his system of Deism, in opposition to that religion which we have every rational and necessary evidence to believe is from Heaven.

The present, in his estimation, is the AGE of REASON; but, unhappily, in France at least, it is not an age of much useful invention and sound philosophy, (though it is hoped the age will terminate in the enjoyment, by the French nation, of genuine religion and real liberty) but an age of CHANGES and NOVELTIES, and as far as RELIGION is concerned, of ERROR and DELUSION.

Men idolize the words REASON and PHILOSOPHY; uncomprehended by them, they blindly offer incense at their shrines, and Mr. Paine would prevail with us to add ourselves to the number of their votaries, and to adore his scheme of INFIDELITY! A system untried by France; or as far as it hath been experienced, inauspicious to the morals of the Republic.

Indubitably true it is, that good government cannot subsist without good morals, and that the simple light of nature, unaided by divine Revelation, is insufficient for the moral and religious government of mankind; much less is it capable to ensure to us a future state of blessedness and to qualify us for the enjoyment of it.

Christianity alone is calculated to advance the present and future happiness of men; and, with impiety to reject it, is not only to sin against God, but also against ourselves!

May I not defy, says an eminent writer, all the philosophers and founders of religious sects in the heathen world, and all the infidels of modern times, to produce such a system of religion as is contained in the gospel; adorned with such glorious internal characters of truth and divinity; so worthy of God; so well adapted to the relief and benefit of men; originating from such a founder, or recommended to the world by such rational and essential marks of divine authority!

How great is the blindness of the human understanding, that cannot discern the visible characters of divinity which shine, with unequalled lustre, in the holy scriptures; and that can stupidly prefer the dry philosophy of a Seneca, or the more tasteless opinions of a Deist, to the grand, sublime, consistent and divine religion exhibited in the new testament!

How great is the pride and perverseness of the human mind, that will pretend to a light which it has not; and will not humble itself to receive instruction, even from GOD himself, although attended with the brightest evidence of truth!

Now this enlightened body (the author means with respect to religion) wholly influenced by reason and philosophy, which infallibly, are to lead them into all truth, sagely determining, "That death is an everlasting sleep"

They soon, however, reverse the decree, and announce to their constituents, that, however guilty, polluted and wretched, any of their souls may be they (though to them unwelcome the truth) are immortal!

And thus the faith of about twenty-five million people, philosophers and peasants; the virtuous and the vicious; the orthodox , and the heterodox, and generations yet unborn, is to be determined by the caprice (vainly denominated reason and philosophy) of a set of POLITICIANS! Men who so loudly declaim against all religious establishments, and who, in justice, have not the least authority, thus to lord it over the consciences of their fellow-citizens!

O REASON! unaided by revelation, but debilitated by passion, and warped by prejudice, how erring thy dictates; how feeble thy power to conduct men into the path of truth!

How amiable is CHRISTIANITY! How friendly to the rights of human nature! How consonant to the dictates of REASON! Designed to instruct the ignorant; to reclaim the vicious; duly to regulate the morals of mankind and to promote their best interest, it is unconnected with the politician; it needs not his aid for its support; and its divine author, in language most audible, solemnly proclaimed this important truth, (however disregarded by many professing christianity) when he said, "My kingdom is not of this world!" John xviii. 36.

In all governments, real reason and true philosophy, will revere this doctrine; while it will be rejected by ignorance and error, by pride and ambition! In this respect, no people whatever, have so regarded this tenet of christianity, as the citizens of these United States; and herein they exhibit to the world, an example of wisdom and virtue, most worthy of imitation!

"The people of the United States, says Mr. Coxe, have exploded those principles, by the operation of which religious oppressions and restrictions, of whatever description, have been imposed upon mankind; and rejecting mere toleration, they have placed upon one common and equal footing, every church, sect or society of religious men." View of the United States of America, p. 427, just published, by Tenche Coxe, Esq; of Philadelphia.

If the laws of nature, says a judicious author, were sufficiently clear, those of society, in cases entirely moral, are unnecessary to inform us of our duty; and were they sufficiently enforced, society would have no occasion to institute penalties of greater cogency, that they may be observed.

Indeed, if the laws of nature, with respect to their clearness, authority and obligation, were perfect and sufficient, the laws of society would be altogether needless. Men would observe justice and practice beneficence towards each other, without adventitious obligations.

A lover of liberty would not incline to enter into society to become subject to magistrates; to support expensive constitutions, if convinced he could live independent, safely converse and traffic with mankind, in a state of nature.

The arguments drawn from the supposed sufficiency of reason and mature, to invalidate the necessity of revelation, equally prove that society is unnecessary. If the laws of nature are able to effect their end, and that end is moral instruction and obligation, there can be no occasion for other laws, wither divine or human.

It is, however, of importance to consider, whether the evil dispositions and vices of men, do not compel them, for their mutual advantage, to enter into society; and whether civil society, considered in itself, is able to remedy the evils mankind wish to avoid, by entering into this state?

With regard to the laws of nature, were they sufficient to render men honest and virtuous in society, there would be no necessity for them to associate; because these laws could effect the same purposes without society, which adds nothing to moral knowledge or obligation.

Lord do dispose their minds (adds this amiable divine) to the love of thy truth! Preserve us from the foolish councils and proud imaginations, of these unhappy men! and while we detest their principles, help us to pity them above all others of the human race, and earnestly to pray that they may be turned from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to thee the living God!

Do thou shine into their hearts, and give them the light of the knowledge of thy glory, as it is unveiled and made manifest, in the face of Jesus Christ, who is the brightness of they glory, and express image of they person!

Bring them to know thee the only true God, and the Son of thy love, whom thou hast sent, and whom to know aright, is eternal life!"