even his fellow bipeds! He is not satisfied with the slaughter of those animals, which he considers necessary for his preservation, but must even butcher his own species. And he who can slay the most, receives the highest honour and greatest reward. Witness that bloody automaton," Wellington, with all his infernal deluded machines, that have hired themselves out to butcher the human race; to cut any man's throat when ordered; to slaughter their brethren either wholesale or retail. We seem struck with horror at the thought of a tomahawk and scalping-knife of the uncivilized Indian; but the boarding pike, the bayonet, the cutlass, are considered as merciful instruments of the enlightened and civilized Christians !

I know that fools, and interested priests, ascribe this ferocious and carnivorous appetite, to the depravity of human nature, in consequence of what they call “the fall of man;" but they say that it is not the will of God that it should be so. Then, if his power be equal to his will, why doth he not correct or amend this depravity? He had a good opportunity, when he once destroyed them all but eight persons, whom he considered as being righteous and perfect, or why did he preserve them? And if he found their nature perfect, how can we, whom they say are descended from those eight perfect persons, be polluted by any thing antecedent to them? Surely, he would have displayed more wisdom and goodness, if he had corrected their nature, and fashioned their hearts alike, so that they might dwell together in peace and friendship. Instead of which, we find that no community, not even a small body of men, can dwell together any length of time, without strife, contention, sometimes rapine, and murder; in consequence of their disposition and temperament not being in union with each other, resulting from their peculiar organization. Whence men see the necessity of making laws, and appointing arbitrators, to secure themselves from the vicious propensities of those unfortunate organized beings. And if those laws are not sufficient to restrain vice from injuring society, we have ocular demonstration that the dread of future pun

ishment, however horribly represented by fire and brimstone, weeping and gnashing of teeth, &c., will never prevent iniquity from abounding in every town, street, and family: although there be no scarcity of hired men, to remind them of those pre-ordained terible things. And though many others, belonging to certain societies and institutions, are continually creeping about, disseminating this terrible doctrine; yet, as Jesus said, "it must needs be that offences come!" (Matt. xviii. 7.)

In consequence of these evils, and many other deficiencies which might be named, it appears that man has no just reason to conclude, that this world was ever formed by an intelligent Architect; therefore, there can be no such a being as a Creator and governor of all things, commonly called a GOD. And the reason why men say that there is, is because they are either ignorant of the properties and qualities of matter, or they have an interest in deceiving the people.

Many arguments have been advanced, and ingenious comparisons made to illustrate those arguments, or evidences of of the existence and attributes of this God; such as the prospective contrivances that are exhibited in the human body; implying a contemplation of the future, which they say could only belong to intelligence. For instance, the teeth, though formed, are lodged within the gums, and there detained for some months, until they are wanted; as their further advance would not only be useless, but extremely in the way of a newborn infant, while in the act of sucking. But would not the infant, if possessed of those teeth, act like the worm of the beetle? the teeth of which being already formed, begins to gnaw as soon as it escapes from the shell. But by being deficient of these pointed bones, called teeth, the infant is naturally inclined to extract its nourishment from whatever might be put into its mouth, by a mechanical compression of its lips. And why should the infant be deprived of that, which will cause it so many restless nights and days of anguish to obtain? Did this said intelligence, contemplate the fu-, ture misery which this infant would experience in what is commonly called cutting those teeth? which, after

having cut, seldom last but a few years, before another group appear, which drive out the others to make way for themselves. This chopping and changing is likewise attended with much pain and misery by the owners; such as no benevolent being, who contemplated futurity, would ever have designed, if possessed of power equal to his will. The whole of Mr. Paley's arguments may be answered in the like manner; let this suffice at present.

Al

Another argument is advanced, to prove the possibility of the existence of an invisible being, superior to man, which is, that notwithstanding a blind man cannot see such a thing as colour, yet colour doth exist. though I grant that it is no proof that there can be no such thing as colour, because a man born blind cannot see it; for, if he cannot see it because he is blind, others can who are not blind: but where is the man who can say that he has seen this God at any time? And if he is not to be seen or known, he can be of no more use to us than colours would, if all men were blind.

The only reason which they give for his invisibility is, that he is a spirit which cannot be seen. But, what is a spirit? or how can it be known, if it cannot be seen? Is it not the essence, or the effluvia, extracted or produced from some body of matter; which body must have weight, figure, extent, and boundaries, thereby occupying, necessarily, some portion of space? If so, this destroys all ideas of omnipresence; consequently, omniscience and omnipotence. Then, if he be a spirit, where is the body whence this spirit emanates ? as you are well assured that there can be no spirit without some material substance to produce it.

Again, it is demanded, why should an universal idea of some being, possessing intelligence, pervade the minds of all men? But this is not true; there is no universal idea of it? Instead of which, there are scarcely any two men that can agree in opinion upon the subject. As all our ideas are acquired by the sensation produced through some external object, agitating or operating upon our animal spirits, so those ideas of omnipotence, &c., are produced by a cursory

view of those surrounding objects; and not being ableto comprehend the true cause, they have been attributed to that which their several imaginations dictated; which is evident, by the different ideas or notions that different nations have of this unknown cause; whereby, it is always represented under different forms, and in a different manner, with different laws, customs, &c.; which prove it to be only a chimera of the brain, founded in ignorance or it would be as universally and apparently understood, as the ideas of pain, pleasure, hunger, thirst, copulation, &c. in all of which, mankind readily concur; because they are known and felt by all men; they being demonstrated to the mental faculties of the inhabitants of New Zealand, as well as to those in Old England.

And now I presume, you are ready to ask, whence came matter? Could unthinking matter fashion itself into such various forms and figures, as those objects which surround us? Those questions I am not bound to answer; not being ashamed to confess my ignorance of subjects that cannot be demonstrated by either you or me, in the present day; my object being to expose the fallacy of the present doctrines, without presuming to set up others. Let us first clear away the rubbish, in order that we may have clear and good ground to build upon. Neither can I think it of any importance to this generation, what was done, probably, millions of ages back. I shall therefore assert nothing but what may be demonstrated to the meanest capacity. The arts and sciences are rapidly advancing towards attaining a knowledge of that, which at present, seems to be but obscurely or dimly seen. It suffices me to know, that matter does exist, and our principal inquiry should be, how to make the best use of it, for our own comfort and preservation. Therefore, the answer that I would make to the inquiry, "whence came matter?" would be such as you would make, if questioned, whence came God? viz. that matter is, always was, and always will be, matter without end. Amen.

Thus have I endeavoured to prove, that there cannot exist such a being as that which is called a GOD; and,

although some persons may take up the language of David, and say that I am a fool for so thinking, 5 3 they cannot say that I am a murderer, a tyrant, a rebel, a robber, an adulterer, an hypocrite, or a liar, like him; a character, which I trust you will acknowledge to be more dangerous and baneful to society, than a fool like me, who only says that THERE IS NO GOD.

Then, why am I excluded from society? If there be a God, possessing those attributes you ascribe to him, is he not big enough, and old enough, to take his own part, without having recourse to the aid of such insignificant worms, 54 as men are represented to be in his sight? Surely, he is the same to day as he was yesterday. If he could, on former occasions, prove himself a God, why does he not now? Is he on a journey, or is he sleeping? Cry aloud, ye priests, who make no small gain of this your craft;55 your God is in danger, and must be awaked,56 else his kingdom will be rent from him,57 and given to another, even to his enemy, the PRINTING-PRESS; whose voice not only shakes the earth, but even the heaven itself;58 filling the earth with the knowledge of its glory, as the waters cover the sea !59

I have now concluded my observations on the promise held out by Jesus' to those who are pure in heart, viz., a sight of GOD, and find it deceitful. If a man be pure in heart, or more properly speaking, an honest and upright man, he will need no visionary promises; he will possess that solid and substantial blessing, which neither man, devil, nor God, can either give or take from him. The ear hath not heard, nor the eye seen, neither has it entered into the heart of an hypocrite, to conceive the blessings which that man enjoys, who fears neither God, devil, nor man. Wishing you speedily the enjoyment of that blessing, I subscribe myself,

Your humble servant,

JOHN CLARKE.