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London, England, 1819-10-13 00:00:00

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sit down satisfied, that no man, whether be were a
Christian or nut—whatever in short might he his re-
ligious tenets—that while Christianity continued a
part of the law of the land, no subject could be
permitted to defame it, and revile It, as the Defend-
ant had done ; and under such circumstances, he
conceived it would be imp oseible for any Jury to
pronounce a verdict of elevated. ffe would OW
state that which was well known to his Lordship, as
at the proper time he would state to them, that to
revile, with a vie* to bring into contempt the Cliris.
then religion, was contrary to the common lari of
the laud. It was also an offence against various
statutes, if it hail been necessary to refer to them
no the present occasion. Ile should, therefore,
Lind no diffiorilty in 'hewing, that that with which
the Defendant was charged moat always be regarded
as a criminal offence, for which the party commit-
i.ne it was liable to punishment. The first case
to which lie would call the seteution of the Court
orcurred so long ago as in the time of King
Cowles 11. It was tried before a Judge, who,
sa long as British law should endure, would be held
in the highest estimation, as a lawyer and as a mall.
Ile meant Sir Mathew lisle. It was an informa.
ton against a permit of the name of Taylor, for
forret y attiring blasphemous expression.. Ile would
iiot disgust the Jury by repeating the words he had
nursed, as they were horrible to hear, though not
worse than those which it would be his duty to
Lure hail been published by the present Defendant.
Tailor, it was proved, had called religion a cheat,
and declared that he feared neither Goal 110 f Devil.
lleing on his trial, he owned the vrorde, but endea-
voured to spew that part of them had been uttered
with a meaning different from that which had been
sooposed to attach to them. The Judge decided,
that to say religion was a cheat was not only an
effelice against religion, but also on offence against
the law, a. it .went to dissolve till those oliligations
vhicli held society together. This was the decision
of Sir Mathew lisle; yet now they were told by
the present Defendant, that the charge brought
tigaiirst him had no foundation in law. Ile would
ssv, in the language of the Learned Judge that he
lati jest mentioned. that to revile the Christian tel
riott was ti not only an offence against God, but also
egeinst the law of the State, and the government of
the realm." Taylor was convicted, and a very severe
sentence was given against him. But the precedents
that might be teds!uced did not stop at the period
to which he had gone back. At the commencement
of the reign of George the Second, a person named
NVonllastott was convicted on four informations.
lie attempted to justify himself by impugning, as
hi• hail previously done, the miracles of our Saviour,
end the belief which all Christians profess. This
mode of defence the Court would not sutler him to
proceed with, and without wishing to interfere with
the discussions of learned men on particular points,
it was forbidden to make a general attack on the
Christian religion. In this case also conviction
took place, and sentence was given against the De-
fendant. lie might serer to what had been done at
a later period, when one Williams had had the bar-
(l;hood to send forth a pert of the same infamous and
blasphemous publication which was the subject of
the present prosecution. On that *cession, the De-
troilism was prosecuted by an advocate who had ever
been distinguished among the friends of free discus.
con and the liberty of the press. the ',resent Lord
Erskine. lie. though lie adhered to all he had ever
tittered in defence of those inestimable blessings,
haz.l contended that punishment was called for
in a rase where it was attempted to undermine
those religious principles on which the present com-
fort if mankind, and the hopes of eternal happiness,
were founded. Not that they could undermine the
principles of thinking and educated men, but they
were likely to have a baneful effect on the morals
of those who were unenlightened. On that occa-
sioa, the Defendant was convicted, after an attempt
to do that which he hoped would not be attempted
this day, to defend the publication. in 1812, a
',emit) of the name of Eaton sent forth the very
same book. lie was tried before the 'predecessor of
the present Chief Justice; but was it held by the
learned persons engaged on that occasion, that to
revile the Christian religion was not contrary to the
law of the land ? No such doctrine had ever obtain•
ed there ; and succesisive J oriel and successive Courts
had found successive Defendants guilty of a serious
offence against the laws of their country. This had
been so decided at s period when every thing connect-
ed with the liberty of the press and freedom of discus-
eion was most likely to be fully inquired into and
sifted to the bottom. After stating this, he was cost-
ten: to leave it to the present Court and Jury, whe-
mer or riot such conduct at the present day was to be
slowed tor an infraction of the law of the land. if it
were admitted that the Christian religion *ere a part
of the law of the land, it remained to be shewit,
whether or not the Defendant bad violated that law,
by publishing one of the most abominable, disgosb.
isig, and wicked attacks on religion that had ever ap►
petered in the world. The first *Mack had hero
made on the Old Testament, as the writer knew,
that throwing discredit ou that was the readiest way
to. briag the New Testament into discredrt. The
pa-sage to which, in the first inetatice, he would call
their serious attention, was as follows :
whenever we read the obocese stories. the voluptuous
dettLuclactiea, the cruel aad lorturtms csecutinsm, the sure-
lent.rie vindietivewns, with which inure them half the Bible
Is f fled, it would be more consistent that we called it the
word of s demon, than the word of God. It is a history of
wicker:loess that has served to corrupt and brutalise
mar
lie would put it to the Jury. u fathers of fami-
ansious to teach their cbildreu to fear God,
and hope for that eternal happiness so gloriously
displayed by our holy religion, whit their feelings
must be, if they found such a paper had been put
into the hands of their offspring and domestics.--
ii
they wanted a key to the osiud of the author,
they would And it its the following panne
DA the Wok called the Bible (for m- ei win the am-
'metros's maiseer is which the smithy
wort). cacti is purity or ideas sad ,
that are now extant is the world, I
my rule of Ada se befog the word's
cause what')—the poorldhes would,
me brie' imposed epos; bet obeli
greatest pars of this beide. scarcely
of Me &Masi* vices,ard a collective a
eararsaptible tales, 1 eaglet disbelieve
Sag it by his aisle
So that the writer would
of religiose; Webster there
being *Mit spur. The
en to
"Ti. die*

. .
lent in the heart of man. Speskiag for myself, .
no other evidence that the Bible ig fibulas, than the laCti-
Lee I mite make to believe it to be true, that apse would
Dal iffilMieta dereitisrii thy choice."
There Were ntiny either pairsiltes relating to the
Old Testament, the essence of which might be
summed up in a single hoe, in which the author
declared—
" It is a boric of hee, wicked dem, and blas °
phemy.
This was the conclusion to *hick the author had
arrived. Ile could not but asiticipsfeltl effect upon
the Jury, and wished he could forbear, and, consis-
tently with his duty. abstain from the mill More
shocking blasphemies against the New Testament,
and against the name of our Samisens He could
asiure the Jury. without affectation, that he felt the
utmost pain in proceeding to this part of his duty.
The blasphemous levity with which the author had
treated the subject shucked him exceedingly, while,
in the discharge of his ditty, he called the attention
of the Jury to the following passage:—
" As it is nothing extraordinary that a MO011• dumbd be
with child before abe was married, and that the son she might
bring forth slionl4l be executed, ewes unjustly, I see nu res.
SIM for nut Inlieving that suds a woman as Mary, anal such
a man as Joseph sad Jr,.. existed; their mere existence is a
matter of indifference, about which there is so ground either
to believe or to disbelieve, and which comes under dee com-
mon head of, It may be so, and • bat then? The probability,
however, is, that there were such oersons, Of at least such as
resemirlerl them in pint of the circumstances, because almost
all romantic stories have been suggested by some actual cir-
cumstances, as the adventures of RObi ODOR Crusoe, not a word
of which is true, weir suggested by the case of Alexander
Selkirk. It is not then the existence or non-existesiee of the
persons that I trouble myself about. It is the fable of Jesus
Christ, as told in the New Testament, and the wild and
visionary doctrine raised thereon, against which I eonteed.
The story, taking it as it is told, is itiespitessonsie obeceue;
it gives an account of a young woman engaged to be mar-
ried, and while under this engagement she is, to speak plain
language, debauched by a ghost, under the impious pretence
(Luke, chap. 1. ver. 35,) that the Holy Ghost shall come
upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow
thee."
Are we hying," asked the Attorney-General,
"in n Christian age? Do we profess a religion at
all ? Surely it might have beets expected that the
most sceptical person, that the greatest infidel.
would pause before he wrote such a paragraph.
If it were possible,' he says---why then he admits
it to be possible—l will use his own argument
against him. The Defendant, and the writer of
these passages, ought to have paused. When those
shall occur to him an his last tnosnents--and reflec-
tion will then come—l will ask, with what feelings
will lie reflect on the bare possibility, that that
which he has so arraigned may be founded iu truth ?
I believe in my conscience, that Paine himself and
the present Defendant. in their calmer moments.
could not but have some little doubt on the sub-
ject. Whet. then. must be the feelings of the De-
fendant at the close of Isis life, when he rentembers
that he has been the menus of putting such publi-
cations into the hands of the young end the inex-
perienced, to dishonour that Deity whom we all
profess to worship, and to whom we owe the mani-
fold blessings we enjoy ?"
The next passage to which he besought the at-
tention of the Jury was no less blasphemous than
those he had already quoted—it was as follows:
" I have now gone through the examination of the four
books ascribed to Matthew, Mark, Luke,_ anal John, and
rime it is considered that thwhole space of time, from the
erueifixion to what is called the ascension, is but a few days,
apparently not more than three or four, and that all the cis.
rionstances are reported to have happened nearly about the
same spot, Jernsakm, It is, I believe, impossible mu God in
soy story opus record, so many and suds glaring absurdi-
ties, euntradietiose, aad falsehoods, as are in those books.
tut the case is, that people have bees, so long iu the habit
of reading the books called the Bible sad Testament wish
their eyes shut, and their senses locked up, that the must
stupid inconsistencies have passed ea them fur truth, viol
Imposition fur prophecy. The all-wise Creator bath been
dishonoured by being made the author of fable, awl the hu.
mai' mind degraded by believing it. I forbear (continued the
author) making any remark on this abumisable imposition of
Matthew, the thing 'Wriggly speaks fax iteelf; it is priests
and commestmors that I rather ought to censure fur having
litesebed falsehoods so long,lllll kept people iu dam knew, with
respect to those impositioss. I am sot couteuding with these
men upon polite of dodder, fur I know that sophistry hae
always a city of refuge; I ate speaking of facts ; fax wher-
ever the thing tailed a fact is a falsehood, the faith founded
upon it is delusiOu, and the ductrine raised upon it sot
true. Ali resder, pat they trust in thy Creator, and thou
wilt be safe, but if tbou trusteth to the book railed the
Scriptures, thou trusteth to the rotten staff of fable sal
falsehood. I have now reader, rose through sad examined
all the passages which fuer books of Matthew, Mark,
Luke, sad Jobs, quote from the Old Testauteet sad call
them prophecies of Jesus Christ. Wises birdl set doiwa to this
examination, I expected to Sad targets,: some erasure, but
little did I expect to Sod them so utterly destitute of truth,
and of all peetessioew to it, as 1 have Mows them lo be ; the
teractiee which the writer* of those books employ is mot more
talae than it is abetted ; they state some trifling case et the
person they call Jesus Christ, and then tut out a semewee
from smile passage of the Old Testament sad gall it a pro-
phecy of that case. Vol when the words thee cut oat a
le
re
restored to Ilse place they are takes from, sad nod with
word. before an after them, they gin the lie to the New
Testament."
Otte would suppose that some little decorum,
some little dec'eticy would be observed in the dis-
cussion of so sacred a subject—but no. the whole
was treated as an imposture, a lie, a fable. lie did
not think there was a man existing who would not
say that this was a direct attack, couched in the
coarsest terms. lln the Holy Scriptures and the re-
ligion which was professed in this country. The
libel went on thus
:
° These repeated (aeries and faldficatioss create a
welblimaded suspicion that all the eases spokes of cos-
cerniag the versos called Jesus Christ. are malls of
en
pogrom to log in, sad that very clumsily, gene Melees
sesseetee trout the Old Tesesseek, and apply them am
prophecies of those ewe, and that se far his Whig
the Lou of (Ind, he did sot mild moo as • maw; that
userely sb imagism Or airilefiell IreOIfOCUO,
April% Henries, Jupiter, sod up the sititles 0(0814011p
Thera Jerre

1.
as a lint. Isito; but if be bid sisal so, thus welid
the oniyfileawstaoces vospediwg bits that mead kakis ,
ed frelk *mamma act of wins, sail read liba.v.
ease Mgt would apply exclusively to him as „, wow
be suite passage in the Old Testa**, ,fistld eistb
'lilacs of him ; bust there is oat 6 plosigla In the ON
Testanieit chat speaks of a perms who, after bring cruet.
tied, deed and buried, should rise from the *A sod assusil
fate Hearew. Vat prophecy-mongers the
the Old Testatheet guards epos such ibintiv by t""Mr "
of passages they call prophecies, end that falsely ; so shoat
Joseph's *ape, old clothes, brokea been, hod such like
trifling stuff*
Ile now begged of the Jury to merit the manner
in winch the opinions of the author were summed
up :
" Now (said he) Had the news of salvatiot by Jesus Christ
been inscribed on the face of the sun and the moon, cha-
racters that all nations would have andetstood, the whole
earth had known it in twenty-four hours) howl all nations
would have believed it. Whereas, though It is now almost
two thousand years since, as they tell us, Christ came upon
earth, ant a twentieth part of the people of the earth blow
any thing of it, and among those who do, the wirer part do
net believe it. I have now, reader, gone through all the
persages 'called prophecies of Jesus Christ, sad ,hewn there
is no such tiring. I have examined the story told of Jesus
Christ, and toilepared the several eircunistences of it,
with that revelation, which, as Middleton wisely says
'God has made to us of his power isol wisdom by strum
lure of the 'universe, had by which every thing ascribed to
him is to be tried. The result is that the story of Christ
bas not one trait, either in its character sir in the ntrests em-
ployed, that bears the least resemhtittcr to the power and
wisdom of 'God, as demonstrated ill the creel' of the
ititi•veree. All the meant are human means, slow, uncertain,
and inedermate to the terornplislonsesit of the end proposed,
and therefore the whale is a fabulous iseentien, and unite.
serving of credit. 'The priests of the perwsit day profess to
believe it, they gain their !irate by it, and they exclaim
sgainst sotto-thing they call infidelity. I will ilrliwe ~rat it
is : he that &diem in the story of Chri3t is as infrtel to
G 04."
Ile had now gone through the whole of the counts ;
he would ask them, if he had not proved, rositining
Christianity to he the law of the land, and that
which was not to he reviled by word or writing, that
the Defendant had offended the law lied he, or
had lie riot reviled the Christiais relig This was
the question on Mimi' they were called upon to de.
tier. If they could put their hands on their bosoms,
and way that he had trot done so, tlieh was the De-
fendant entitled to his acquittsl; but it they should
he of a contrsry opinion, they could only discharge
their duty to Goa sail to their country, by !lulling
him guilty. This trial originated in no disposition to
interfere with the opinions entertained unit of doors
on various disputed points. Praise be to him who
sent it ! notwithstanding such differences. the Chris.
tiltsa religion has endured for ages, because it
rested on the ruck of truth. which all the infidels
of other times had assailed in vain. To use tl.e
words of Mr. Locke, " the irligiun of the country
had God for its author, salvation fur it. curl. and
truth, without any mixture of error, fur its subject
arid matter." This prosecution was not instituted
for the purpose of oppressing ally particular indivi.
dual ; but for the purpose of protecting the lower
and illiterate classes of society from having their
faith sapped, arid their init.4lo diverted from Ogre
principles of morality, which were so powerfully
inculcated by the Christian religion. %Viten
such terrible productions as tho,e to which he
hail referred were deliberately put into the
hands of the ignorant—into the hands of those,
who, unlike the rich and powerful, were tillable to
draw distinctions between ingenious, but mtchievous
argument., and divine truths—like trice us they bit.
come familiar to their minds—all respect and verieras
tion for religion and virtue would diminish—and
consequences too painful to contemplate must
accrue. There.was no itoent• to prosecute any
men for his religious opinion., provided those opt.
salmis were not promulgated in such a way as to
produce positive mischief to the community at
large. It was slot for hint to dictate to the Jury the
path which they were to follow. Ile was address.
iog twelve Gentlemen of education, sod of consi-
deration in life. He had stated to ilmni what he
apprehended Was clearly the law on this subject,
namely. that to ridicule Christianity was an offence
at common law. That offence was impeted to the
Defendant on the present indictment. The cps
4.f the country were upon their proceedings, arid
their deliberations and detertnination were looked
to with a painful anxiety. Much eat he loneent
that, although a great length of time had elapsed
slime the publication of tins libel, the subject bad
not before been brought under their consideration.
Unavoidable circumstances had prevented this step.
No time, however, had been lost, and whatever de-
lays had taken place, were solely to he attributed
to the forms of law, and to other occurrences which
were not within his control. Ile repeated that the
eyes of the country were upon them—all the reli-
gious--all the moral—all the thinking part of
mankind were waiting anxious) y the decision on this
case. It was to be decided by them (the Jury'),
whether Christianity was 3 fabulous imposture, rod
whether they were to cont. under that religious
part of the system of their Constitution, to which
they had heretofore looked with cordidetice and
veneration. If the Defendant had committed an
offence, and that he had, in his ratimatiou, no mats
alive could entettain • doubt, after hearing the prom
segos which be had read, he was sure h► used scot
call upon thee' ter be km in the conorlienticiii
charge of their ditty. If they believed that the Dr.
fendaut had offended against the laws of God and
the country, they Would, without the slightest heel.
titian. give a verdict to that effect. It poly reustined
for him to prove' the case which he had stated.—
This he would do very shortly, by proving the
sale of the book by the Defendant ; and unless
they hod made up their minds to treat as nothing
the solemn obligation of the oath which they had
taken, and to consider Christianity as • fable, and
as a gross imposition, he was satisfied, upon the
facts, that the only verdict which they could return
sit this ocersioo was that of
The So LICHIIII-Gllll SSA L now called Mr.
Grilfiu Solomon, who, on being swan, depoled
that he was Clerk to the Solicitors of the Treasury.
of Decelebtr he went to the honey of

folly. Yee ''Osiedb ma if I did not want half a
dozen copietif
The Cutts ilfirytes now said, that at the De-
fendant wished the information to be read, the
canals, and the piessages in the book to which they
referred, hadtetter now be read to the Jury.
The information was then read by Mr. Bellamy,
the officer of egerourt, Mr. Carlile admitting that
the passages in the book corresponded with the
passage, set forthAn the ififormatioo, and adding,
that it was vonnicemary to read the portages twice
over, as he eboard kid the book himself as part of
his defence. TheiO(ormation is as follows :
The First Cosset 'clierged, that Richard Carlile late of
London, bookiieller,*ging a wicked,iospioes,oodili:dispowd
peewit, Ae. did, on tbit Ittli December, in the Nth year of
the reign of our present Sovereign Lord George the Third,
Ac. print era poblisk, sad caused to be printed and pub-
lished, a negate scandalous, impious, and blasphemous
libel, of and eoriceresinfudial part of the Holy Bible, which
is alined the Old Testament, contenting therein, amongst
other things, divers scandalous, impious, aud blasphemous
matters, of and cukeening that part of the Holy Bible
which I. called the Old Teatimes', Rewriting in the tenor
and effect following that is to say), " Whenever we read
the obscene stories, the voluptuous ilehaucheries, the cruel
and torturous execitiens, the unrelentiog vindictiveness with
which more than half 'the Bible" (steaming that part of the
Holy Bible which is Wiled the Old Testament) " is filled, it
would be more consistent that we called it (meshing that
part of the Holy Bible which is called the 01.1 Testament),
" the word of a dentgoi, than the word of Get h It" (mean-
ing that part of the Belly Bible which is called the Ohl Tes-
tament) " is a history of wickedness that has served to me-
mo and brutalise Maiskiud :"—to the great displeasure of
Almighty God, to the greet scandal, infamy, and cootempt
of the said part of the Huly Bible which is called the Old
Miaowed, to the lull example ..f all others, and agaiwat
the peace Or our said Lord the King, his Crown and
dignity.
The Second and other Counts charged the publication of
the several libels Whirls they respectively set forth, in
similar
terms. " Did the book called the Bible" (meaning that
part of the Holy Bible which is called the Old Testament)
• wed ill purity of ideas and expression, all the hooks that
We now extant hill** world, I would not take it fur my rule
of
faith as Leine the word of God, because the poseibility
'MOW, nevertheless, exist of my being imposed upon ; but
when t see, throughout the greatest part of this hook"
Owe g that part of the Holy Bible which is called the 0141
Tlestament) "'carrel, any thing but a history of the grossest
ekes, and a collection of the most ualtry and contemptible
Isles, I cannot dishonour my Creator by rallisg it by his
mete" (meaning and inteediug thereby, that throughout
the greatest port of that part of the Holy Bible which is
willed the Old Testaineot, there is scarcely any thing but a
history of the grossest 111111 a collection of paltry and
contemptible tales.)
Third Count=" To charge the commission of acts upon
the Almighty, which, in their own nature, and by every rule
eff Nora justice, are triodes, as all assaesination is, and more
eepellially the assassination of Wields, is matter of serious
pears. The Bible tells is that those assassinations were
ems by the express command of God—to believe, therefore,
the Bible to be tree, we meat imbelieve all Our belief in the
moral justice of dud, for wherein could cryiug or 'lndia(
infants offend? Aed to read the Bible without horror, we
must undo every thing that is Wieder, sympsithising, and
benevolent in the heart of ono. Speakiog for myself, if I
(meaning the writer of the aforesaid libel) had no other
evidence that the Bible is fabulous than the sacrifice
(meaning the writer of the said libel) mast make to belie ye
it to be true, that slow would be sufficient to determine my
choice." Anil in another past thereof aceordiog to the tenor
and effect following (that is to say), " 1 have now gone
through the examinatlee of the four hooks ascribed to
Matthew, Math, Luke, and John" (meaning the four Holy
Gospels, in that part of the Holy Bible which is called the
New Testament) ; " and when it is considered that the
whole space of time from the crwifixiou" (meaning the cru-
eilxicia of our blessed theriwir and Redeemer, Jesus Chris.),
" to what is called the Aweission, is but a few days, appa-
wetly out snore them three oefoor, mid that all the circum-
stances are reported to have happened nearly about the
same spot, JefOlolelll, it is, I believe, impossible ti, find in
any story Open record so essay and such tiering absurdities,
cootradietions, and (alleluias& as are in those books."
Fourth Coisat—a It" (swimming that part of the Bible
which is eallea the Old Testament) "is a book of lies, wick-
ednees, and blasphemy."
Fifth Comet—" As it is *tithing estraordinary that a wo-
man should he with child before she was marrira, and that
the sun she might being forth should be executed, even un-
justly, 1 see no reason for not believing that such a woman
as Mary" (wiesming the Blesses) Virgin Mary), " and such a
man as Joseph sod Jews" (roes ll ill g our Saviour Jesus
Christ) "existed; their mere existence is • matter of
iudJ-
keener, about whiehilsere is no grogind either to believe or
to disbelieve, and which comes Nader the comiraon head of,
It may be so, and what them? The probability, however,
is, that there were such persons, or at least such as resembled
them in part of the circumstances, becanse almost all ro-
mantic stories have been suggested by some actual circum-
@tonere, a. the aaveniures of Robinson Crowe, Not a word
of *Lich is true, were snggested by the case of Alexander
Selkirk. It is not then the existence or non-existence of the
persons that I trouble myself about, it is the fable of Jesus
Christ, as told in the New Testament, and the wild and vi-
sionary doctrine weld thereon, against which I contesol.
The story, taking it as it is told, is blasphemously 'doctor ;
it gives so accusal of a young woman 'sugared to be mar-
ried, zed while moiler this engagement she is, to speak plain
language, debauched by a ghost, under the immune pre-
tetwe (Luke, chap i. vet. 35.) that the Holy Ghost shall
came upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall tr. r-
'Widow thee."
Sixth Count-5 What le it the Testament" (niemeing that
part 44 the Holy Bible which is called the New Testament)
"teaches us? Ti. believe that the Almighty rommitted de-
hanchery with a woman engaged Ito he married! and the be-
lief of this delsoudiery is called faith."
Seventh Count—" Bed the case is, that people have been
eo hung in the habit 44 twain the books called the Bible"
(osessiug that part of the Holy H.hie called the Old T. eta.
meat) "and Testament" (meaning that part of the Bible
calks, the New Testament) " with their eyes sliest, and their
steers locked up, that the most stupid inconsistencies have
pared on them for truth, and imp:idiots for prophecy. The
all-wise Ciente" bath bees dldisionerrel by helog made Hie
author of fable, soil the human mind degraded by believing
it." Anal la member part thereof, IlefiWaillt 10 the tenor
and effect following (that Is to say), " l forbear making any
renuok OM this *blowiest& insmoitior of Matthew" (mean.
beg the Holy Evroagelist Saint Matthew), "the Haag &wine.
ly speaks fur Rolf; it is priests mad irmismeatators that I
ruttier ought to enisisre fur having preached falrehond so
long, sod kept people its darker's with respect to those
ia-
positions. lam ore eoutending with theme men upon points
of auctritie, fur I kisow that sophistry has tawny, a city of
refuge; I am speaking of facts; for silierwer the thing called
• fees is a faleishood, the faith fosoiled upon it is &legion,
and the &retries wilted opus it out true. Ali! reader, put
thy tried is thy Creator and then wilt be rate, but if thous
treistest le a book called the Seriph...se" (Nwsiiing the Holy
Seriptines) this* Westeet to the rotten stuff of table sad
falsidsood." And in smother part thereof, according to the
Wier awl erect fonowlog (that is to say). "I have now, wa-
der, tow theinegh sod examined all the passages which
the flier banks. of Matthew, Mark, Luke, mod Joke"
(nweisisig the four Holy Gospels) "emote floes the Ohl
Treasured mid call them prupberies of Jesus Christ.
—WWII Stet I set &two es Ibis ixassiisuition, I ex-
pected to Sod mese for swot weenie, bat little did I
egret to lea tarit'so uttevly *mime 4.t truth, sad of all
presrasians se. is, as 1 have slaws them to be; the reedit
Odell the weltered, those books emipluy is nut more Moe
thaigit is ahead; Hey slew some trifling maga the poem
NOP call Mee IllariA; lea the. eel eat • OPUIVOtt free
we power of diriViesimwat, aid call it a periphery
of Net cafe. lot Ales tbittehli* oboe ow eel We weliervil
MilltilAwe glop we' meat &Ws, awl wed witli.tbe seeds
boleti aid allot di* Nei gilt, the sir to do: N 441/ T. de-
swot ; affiliet hisffihiale ofNisi of this will seam few the
whole." Anti is somber past Wirer, actiartling to the

.

te\wr and effect following (that is to say). " The., repeated
forgeries and falsilicatioas create a well.foansied
that all the cases spokes of concerning the person rallt.l
Jesus (-UM, are made mars es porpoise to lug In, and that
•ery clumsily, some broken matrices from the Old Testa.
went, and apply them as prophecies of those cues, ant th.tt
so far from his bring the Soo of God, he did nut esi.t nrn

imaginary or alb-eeriest cha.
si a n
neter,aws" ;Atpuhaltiobe, HiinNwrelY "
etsles,Jopiter, mid all the Ordinal
antiquity were. There is no history written at tie time
Jesus Christ is said to have lived, that speaks of the exist-
mace of such a person, even as • sehn. Did we fine in any
other honk, pretending to give a system of religion, the false-
hoods, finsifientioas, cositradietlems, and absurnotes sleek
are to be met with in almost every page of the OH and New
Testament, all the plicate of the present day who 'opposed
themselves capable, would triumphantly slew their .hint
cg it icison, and cry it down as a most &rig' ;
shin the books in question betas, to their own teat', ,Tid
(mien, they, or at least sassy of thews, seek to sidle every
inquiry into them, and abase theme who have the homily
and the courage so du it." And Is another part thereof, lc.
cording to the tenor and efeet followise ;that is to says
" Thry tell us that Jest's rose from the dead and ass. meg;
easilyiotliteoaltd"; ti; itat Over r Tome"; ybatto ilmtlles°6l4. a tirlol7et 1:e4.::.
would have been the only circumstances resp loins not that
would have differed from the commas act of man, and con-
sequenely the only case that wools, apply excls.,vely to 1,,11)
as prophecy, would be nue perentte in the Ohl Testament
that foretold such thine of Men; bet there is nisi a passage
in the Old Testament slot woks of. person, eho, after he.
ing crucified, dead sad keiried,abeeld rise from the dead and
toned into H . Owe rimier, nossegers 'apply the „.
tenor; the Old Testavorgt guards ape each tbiuxs, by tell-
ing us of passages they ea romisiteks, Well that falsely, so
*boat Joseph's dreams Old dollop, betoken hoots, awl sseh
like trifling stuff." Ass., in aaaabev part thereof, areordieg
to the tenor sod direct following (dot is to say), " Now lad
the news of relvattuag by Jesus Christ been inscribed oo the
fare of the sem and MIMS its elleinieiters that all satins,
would hove lerstood, the whole north had kuort, it „,
twenty-foige !whey, awl all mations would have hoteven
it. Wherries, though it is now almost two NWonitu l neats
since, as they tell sw, Christ raise spin earth, SO 3 lan,.
tieth part of the people of the earth boor any dials of tt,
and among thole who do, the wisest part do not belteve.t. I
here now, reader, gone throagh all the passages cai:ed pro-
phecies of Jesus Christ, and shewn there is Hu such Oldie.
I have examined the story told ofJesus Christ and rompired
the several circumstances of it, with that revelation, shah,
Millnlek% wisely says, God has made to as of her pewee
and wisdom in the structure of the universe, 3iiri by which
every thing ascribe.' to him is to he tried. 'I he n'ssit I.
that the story of Christ has stet one trait, title, :II :It
chs-
racler or in the means employed, that heals the lead resem-
blauce to the power and wisdom of 604,as drigenteketen in
the crest' of the universe. All !Ilse menus ale humus
slow, emerge:the, and Wadeqoate In the atcomplidt.
agent of the end proposed, and therefore the wt.:et. a Cabo-
loos invention, awl iingleservigee of credit. The pietas of the
present day prof. ss to believe it, they gaits their living hy it,
and they exclaim against something they call intigleldv. I
will define what it is be that believes its the story of Christ
is an in11:14-1 to God."
Eighth Count—" These rerouted forgeries and Wink".
tions create& well.futosdedsuspieiun that all liu casts ,puks
of concerning the penises tatted Jesus Chinn, are In ,de CRP,
on purpose to lug in, and that very elunisity, some broken
sentences from the Old Testament', and apply thens as pre-
phecies of those cases, sad that SO far ft ton his Iseiug the
Sou of Gun, he did nut exist even as a man; that be is
erserely an imagnary or allegorical character, as Apollo„
Hercules, Jupiter, and all the &his a of obliquity wee.
There is nu history written at the time of Jeans (heist is
said to have lived that speaks of the existence of such • me-
son, even as a man. Dist we lad in any other book, pre-
leading to give a system of religiose the falsehoods, falsifi-
cations, contradictions, sad absurdities which are to be net
with in almost every page Of Old asks, New Testansest,
all the priests of the present day who supposed themselves
capable, would toionspleautly skew their skill In
mod cry it down as a most glaring imposition; but siwee the
books in question heloug to their own trade mill profession,
they, or at least many of them, seek to stifle every inquiry
into Shan, md abuse those alma have the honesty and the
courage to do it."
Niuth Count-1s Now bad the sews of salvation by kiss
('hoist Men inseriliesl en the fare of the sun and ?noun, ia
characters that all nations would have anglersioun, the whole
earth had known it in twenty four hums, and all maiNuns
would have believed it; whereat., though is is now alma's
two thousand years since, as they tell us, Christ raise upon
earth, nut a twentieth part of the people of the rattle know
any thing of it, anal stooge those who do, the wiser part do
nut ha. lieve it. have sus', reader, gone through all ibn
passages miles' prophecies' of Jesus Christ, and sleeves there
is no smelt thing. I have examined the story told of
Jesus Christ, and competel the several circumstance" of it
with that revelation, which, as Miglilletwe aisrly says, God
has made to us of his power aad wisdom in the IlieUettlfla
the universe, awl by which every thing au-lilted to him is Is
be tried. The resole is, that the story of Christ bas .101 MK
trait, either iss its eleararter or in the Willi engin.) psi, that
bears the hut reseniblassre to the pow. r and wisdoms(
God as demonstrated in the ensilages of ,he ituivestse.
du
the means are human means, slow, uncertain, ard
ithn-
quite to the accomplishaseat of the CIO 111141011440111 i
far the whole is a fabulous isivration awl nude lerstnesl
credit. The priests of the .perseot day profess to Wiese it,
they gain their living by it, and they exclaim splint some-
thing they call ialidelity. I will defuse what it is be that
believes in the story of Mist is as isefidel to God."
Tenth Count—" Fur my owe part, 1 du nut believe there
is one sword of histories) truth in the whole book" (messild
that pall of the Holy Scripture' called the New T. Miaow .
busk upon it at best to be a rossanee,thc principal tiresome
of "latch is ass imaginary or allegorical eliaracier found."
upon wine tale, and in which the moral is in in say pea
good, awl the garratise part very badly and blonde:rag:l
written."
El. vend Count—" But the case is, that people have
so lung in the habit of reading the hooks called the Bile
and Testament with their ryes shut, and their KURE, I"
IJ
up, that the most stupid inconsistesicieshsve passed Oita'
ler tied), awl inapositime foe prophecy. The all-wise Cow
halls been dishonoured by being wash' the author of '
aunt the Inienau mind 'trended by Is Irving it."
soother part thereof, areorditig to ike I, our awl •
hosing (that is to say)," As to the New Testament"
tag that part of the oly Seriptheres called the Net
went). "If it be bronght and tried by that standard,
as WWI. low wisely says, God has revealed to
his olnsighty power sad wisdom in the creatiuu t.
meld of the visible universe, it w ill he &dud I%
false, paltry, and absurd as the Old" Oneaoing that
the Holy Scriptures celled the (Ile, Testainent)---to
ti
etiolate/tsar'. of Almighty God, to the great scandal of
Christian reheats', to the evil example of all others.
against the peace of nor said lord the King, his Crown
dignity. Whereupon the said Attorney II:moral of ot
Lord the king, who for our Said 1.0111 Ike King in she
half proorcideth few our said Lord the King, prad
end
romideestion of she Court Isere in the premises, an
due process of law may hr awarded ragaieist him II
Richard Carlik in thus behalf, to make hint aninstil
said Lord the King, touching and cuaccruiug tie r.,
aforesaid.
The case for the prosecution having been tj
Mr. (.7arlile these ruse to sooke his
i• Gentlemen of the Jury-1 now rise to .
defence agents, the charge exhibited egaiskit Cs
the Attorney-General, end believe moo
ontisreesest with the guest importance of Li
Of deep importance. indeed, it is) for it is no
a question, than to try. whethes • mini may. 14
Its toles sted in indulging v. butever creed Or
Moos be pleases its trltgiogr agisits. I'he I
General has boasted nail, et she Libra; of
and of free discussion ; hilt Ide not InSt
hats evinced isgeu of this q4(4t of liberality
Proiol occus‘ost, it is lay, desire. *berets/see
; tlt men, to go into this gale mime filly that!

bit ..
.Lich in 1 • own titan!, rrhil 'ldea liktiskjos.
tiM, ore eri as all assassisoll.rphis,sted ilipie eilpeeislly
the saishibtmst •or iatihiti, if afe elf iiriots aseseern.—
ThE Bible' lefts' ai AIM Weil stesteistinßi here &we by the
emirs* corsimsmitet Cesug-to e, tberihwe, the Bible
to be true, we flied uiatiit4e AB our belief in the smut
1 jumice of Clod, for Wherein could 'nisi! or smiling infants
offend' And to read the Bilge without horror,
_me must
mute titly tug tut Wthilkt, opicismainag, aid bt•eid:
• _ ...___. ..... .... Soeshisr fur 'myself, if .1 hid

r t
r.iodis poke of *bat smell APO* lionsky, JeNsge• mu .."." ---- 7 --- --.---.
a■d expesse, all dm books 14.1 e. Milll tt as WAlowl - writ"' at the Mae Jr... Oft the 17th of Derrearaber he octal to the *Goose ol i
whit I !mold 00l tar it tor Chris g said sli lawa B'l4 that 'ram lif the 61111181.°1 ' the Defendeut. is Fleet-street. lie sow the De- '
.soul',. Ciod, bemuse —Ow of soc► •a poem, eves as msg. Dig. We Sod in soy mbar . fendaet himself. mad asked Nita for 44 Pelee's Age •
aoilidt (o'oooo4omi mist a ho•i, rel.*** * gi" a "sal al
gaillialls the
gait'
qf li "Pb deliveled it to hi mid clanged
whet' I sees thitteeheet the Goods. falsifications, o.a..+it+s•.a sod absordities which MON.
'l`
me
oreil say ttrieo hot • sista/ ore to be mot wiGli In almost evert tostp a the Old aad NM fur it W. di. They had very link 0111111M111P. .
{seise of the moot Wiry end New .Todasiott MI dis prima. of Os newel Gig, oho lion. Mr. Collie knee/ slimes's* be the Clerk to
idiotism my Civil', 6), all- ~! tbratarlyt• caliablas. Weal* ltilitaPloallY Ara' • the Solicitors of thelloolitterre int, seat his east-
their skill in criticism, and cry ii: dews as issmisl glaring •
..,,....tis. to Ilk Mawr;
aidiet. it he. wd.
saa___,.
istirsailloa ; but sloes As boobs in quontion below Is i r "1w" 16.". r
I reject the Warta' lettlit. , itkoir, ova wide sod preemie% dm or at knot- ow/ Alm So eat ha Ciiriliaimidiotly.ot him. lot wield
diglot be a liesaibint ,vr or a lbws, seek 10 Midi every iir, lii• tbduitedelokose ibe prepared N meet hisia . . .
* poillielttiod* iieift vilbSt ibis, win have the bounty with at/air Go u•- i Ofette.effseekeetj er a►. eityfifee..W. then egy ;
' Tiler Leif •s dot limos riles fib* tie died Ml' lobs : heskitsiss so im, .eitioratiff mid.?
let Wg"110114/4"4"*Ait linwt" i bi•ll 'lyre*" Wear* ;ti
ha *sa eadiria* . witsigo—ailistrli ell. Yeitt—did it Mho doter. -

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