Thomas Paine set the stage for much of what constitutes Skeptical responses today. But it is less known that many wrote responses to him in his own day. This is an archive of those responses. Responses to The Age of Reason came from many of Paine's contemporaries, including Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Samuel Adams, Benjamin Rush, John Jay and Elias Boudinot.
Adams, President John
(1735-1826)
Comments on Paine: "The Christian religion is, above all the religions that ever prevailed or existed in ancient or modern times, the religion of wisdom, virtue, equity and humanity, let the Blackguard [scoundrel, rogue] Paine say what he will." John Adams, The Works of John Adams, Charles Francis Adams, editor. Boston: Charles Little and James Brown, 1841, Vol. III, p. 421, diary entry for July 26, 1796.
John Adams autobiography, part 1, "John Adams," through 1776, sheet 23 of 53, January - April 1776.
In the Course of this Winter appeared a Phenomenon in Philadelphia a Disastrous Meteor, I mean Thomas Paine. He came from England, and got into such company as would converse with him, and ran about picking up what Information he could, concerning our Affairs, and finding the great Question was concerning Independence, he gleaned from those he saw the common place Arguments concerning Independence: such as the Necessity of Independence, at some time or other, the peculiar fitness at this time: the justice of it: the Provocation to it: the necessity of it: our Ability to maintain it &c. &c. Dr. Rush put him upon Writing on the Subject, furnished him with the Arguments which had been urged in Congress an hundred times, and gave him his title of common Sense. In the latter part of Winter, or the early in the Spring he came out, with his Pamphlet. The Arguments in favour of Independence I liked very well: but one third of the Book was filled with Arguments from the old Testiment, to prove the Unlawfulness of Monarchy, and another Third, in planning a form of Government, for the seperate States in One Assembly, and for the United States, in a Congress.
His Arguments from the old Testiment, were ridiculous, but whether they proceeded from honest Ignorance, and or foolish [Superstition] on one hand, or from willfull Sophistry and knavish Hypocricy on the other I know not. The other third part relative to a form of Government I considered as flowing from simple Ignorance, and a mere desire to please the democratic Party in Philadelphia, at whose head were Mr. Matlock, Mr. Cannon and Dr. Young. I regretted however, to see so foolish a plan recommended to the People of the United States, who were all waiting only for the Countenance of Congress, to institute their State Governments. I dreaded the Effect so popular a pamphlet might have, among the People, and determined to do all in my Power, to counter Act the Effect of it. My continued Occupations in Congress, allowed me no time to write any thing of any Length: but I found moments to write a small pamphlet which Mr. Richard Henry Lee, to whom I shewed it, liked it so well that he insisted on my permitting him to publish it: He accordingly got Mr. Dunlap to print it, under the Tittle of Thoughts on Government in a Letter from a Gentleman to his Friend. Common Sense was published without a Name: and I thought it best to suppress my name too: but as common Sense when it first appeared was generally by the public ascribed to me or Mr. Samuel Adams, I soon regretted that my name did not appear. Afterward I had a new Edition of it printed with my name and the name of Mr. Wythe of Virginia to whom the Letter was at first intended to have been addressed. The Gentlemen of New York availed themselves of the Ideas in this Morsell in the formation of the Constitution of that State. And Mr. Lee sent it to the Convention of Virginia when they met to form their Government and it went to North Carolina, New Jersey and other States. Matlock, Cannon, Young and Paine had influence enough however, to get their plan adopted in substance in Georgia and Vermont as well as Pennsilvania. These three States have since found them, such Systems of Anarchy, if that Expression is not a contradiction in terms, that they have altered them and made them more conformable to my plan.
Paine soon after the Appearance of my Pamphlet hurried away to my Lodgings and spent an Evening with me. His Business was to reprehend me for publishing my Pamphlet. Said he was afraid it would do hurt, and that it was repugnant to the plan he had proposed in his Common Sense. I told him it was true it was repugnant and for that reason, I had written it and I had consented to the publication of it: for I was as much afraid of his Work [as] he was of mine. His plan was so democratical, without any restraint or even an Attempt at any Equilibrium or Counterpoise, that it must produce confusion and every Evil Work. I told him further, that his Reasoning from the Old Testament was ridiculous, and I could hardly think him sincere. At this he laughed, and said he had taken his Ideas in that part from Milton: and then expressed a Contempt of the Old Testament and indeed of the Bible at large, which surprized me. He saw that I did not relish this, and soon check'd himself, with these Words "However I have some thoughts of publishing my Thoughts on Religion, but I believe it will be best to postpone it, to the latter part of Life." This Conversation passed in good humour, without any harshness on either Side: but I perceived in him a conceit of himself, and a daring Impudence, which have been developed more and more to this day.
The third part of Common Sense which relates wholly to the Question of Independence, was clearly written and contained a tollerable Summary of the Arguments which I had been repeating again and again in Congress for nine months. But I am bold to say there is not a Fact nor a Reason stated in it, which had not been frequently urged in Congress. The Temper and Wishes of the People, supplied every thing at that time: and the Phrases, suitable for an Emigrant from New Gate, or who one who had chiefly associated with such Company, such as "The Royal Brute of England," "The Blood upon his Soul," and a few others of equal delicacy, had as much Weight with the People as his Arguments. It has been a general Opinion, that this Pamphlet was of great Importance in the Revolution. I doubted it at the time and have doubted it to this day. It probably converted some to the Doctrine of Independence, and gave others an Excuse for declaring in favour of it. But these would all have followed Congress, with Zeal: and on the other hand it excited many Writers against it, particularly plain Truth, who contributed very largely to fortify and inflame the Party against Independence, and finally lost us the Allens, Penns, and many other Persons of Weight in the Community.
Notwithstanding these doubts I felt myself obliged to Paine for the Pains he had taken and for his good Intentions to serve Us which I then had no doubt of. I say saw he had a capacity and a ready Pen, and understanding he was poor and destitute, I thought We might put him into some Employment, where he might be usefull and earn a Living. Congress appointed a Committee of foreign affairs not long after and they wanted a Clerk. I nominated Thomas Paine, supposing him a ready Writer and an industrious Man. Dr. Witherspoon the President of New Jersey Colledge and then a Delegate from that State rose and objected to it, with an Earnestness that surprized me. The Dr. said he would give his reasons; he knew the Man and his Communications: When he first came over, he was on the other Side and had written pieces against the American Cause: that he had afterwards been employed by his Friend Robert Aitkin, and finding the Tide of Popularity run pretty strong rapidly, he had turned about: that he was very intemperate and could not write untill he had quickened his Thoughts with large draughts of Rum and Water: that he was in short a bad Character and not fit to be placed in such a Situation. -- General Roberdeau spoke in his favour: no one confirmed Witherspoons Account, though the truth of it has since been sufficiently established. Congress appointed him: but he was soon obnoxious by his Manners, and dismissed.
There was one Circumstance, in his conversation with me about the pamphlets, which I could not Account for. He was extreamly earnest to convince me, that Common Sense was his first born: declared again and again that he had never written a Line nor a Word that had been printed before Common Sense. I cared nothing for this but said nothing: but Dr. Witherspoons Account of his Writing against Us, brought doubts into my mind of his Veracity, which the subsequent histories of his Writings and publications in England when he was in the Custom house, did not remove.
At this day it would be ridiculous to ask any questions about Tom Paine's Veracity, Integrity or any other Virtue.
Samuel Adams wrote Paine a stiff rebuke, telling him, "[W]hen I heard you had turned your mind to a defence of infidelity, I felt myself much astonished and more grieved that you had attempted a measure so injurious to the feelings and so repugnant to the true interest of so great a part of the citizens of the United States." William V. Wells, The Life and Public Services of Samuel Adams. Boston: Little, Brown, and Company, 1865, Vol. III, pp. 372-373, to Thomas Paine on November 30, 1802.
Strictures upon Paine's Age of Reason into which are incorporated a few observations upon a Belfast edition of remarks upon Paine's pamphlet, By the Rev. John Anketell. Dublin: printed for the author, by William Porter, 1796. vi, xxiii, [1], 193, [1] pp.
The Integrity and excellence of Scripture: A Vindication of the much-controverted passages, Deut. VII. 2. 5. and--XX. 16. 17. whereby the justness of the commands they enjoin are incontrovertibly proved, and, consequently, the objections of Thomas Paine and Dr. Geddes compleatly refuted. Cambridge: Printed and sold by F. Hodson, sold also by J. Deighton [and 6 others], 1797. [4], iv, 5-81, [3] pp.; 21 cm. (8vo)
Bentley, Thomas
(fl. 1775-1819)
Reason and Revelation; or, a brief answer to Thomas Paine's late work entitled The age of reason. London?, 1794. 48 pp.
Boudinot, Elias
(1740-1821)
The Age of Revelation; Or, The age of reason shewn to be an age of infidelity. Philadelphia: Published by Asbury Dickins, opposite Christ-church. Hugh Maxwell, printer, Columbia-house, 1801. 2 p.l., [iii]-xxiii, [25]-232 (i.e. 332) pp., 1 l. 22 cm.
Elias Boudinot to Susan Boudinot. October 18, 1783. From Letters of Delegates to Congress: Volume 19 August 1, 1782 - March 11, 1783.
Bousell, John
(fl. 18th century)
The Ram's Horn sounded seven times upon lifeless hills and mountains which shall be brought down; Also remarks upon Thomas Paine's Second part of the Age of Reason. With an appendix, By John Bousell. Norwich: printed for the author, and sold by all booksellers, 1799. [2],x,40 p.
Bradford, Ebenezer
(1746-1801)
Mr. Thomas Paine's Trial; being an examination of his Age of reason. To which is added, two addresses, the first to the Deists, and the second to the youths of America: With some brief remarks on Gilbert Wakefield's Examination of said Age of reason: Dedicated to George Washington, president of the United States of America. Printed at Boston: by Isaiah Thomas and Ebenezer T. Andrews, Faust's Statue, no. 45, Newbury-Street, 1795. v, [2], 8-79, [1] pp.; 18 cm. (12mo)
The Age of Reason and Revelation; or Animadversions on Mr. Thomas Paine's late piece, intitled "The Age of reason, &c." Containing a vindication of the sacred Scriptures, from the reasoning, objections, and aspersions in that piece. Richmond: Printed by John Dixon, for an enquirer after truth, 1795. 72 pp.; 18 cm.
Broughton, Thomas
(fl. 19th century)
The Age of Christian Reason: being a refutation of the theological and political principles of Thomas Paine, M. Volney, and the whole class of political naturalists whether atheists or deists / by Thomas Broughton. London: Printed for F.C. and J. Rivington by J. Gillet, 1820. x, 266 pp.; 22cm (8vo).
Cadell, T.
(fl. 18th century)
Deism Disarmed; or a short answer to Paine's Age of reason, on principles self-evident, but seldom produced. London: printed for T. Cadell, Jun. and W. Davies (successors to Mr. Cadell), 1794. [4], iv, 40 pp.
Carroll, Charles
(1737-1832)
Charles Carroll, a signer of the Declaration, described Paine's work as "blasphemous writings against the Christian religion"; Joseph Gurn, Charles Carroll of Carrollton. New York: P. J. Kennedy & Sons, 1932, p. 203.
"Churchman"
(fl. 18th century)
Christianity the Only True Theology; or, an answer to Mr. Paine's Age of reason. London: printed, by Vaughan Griffiths, for F. and C. Rivington; and J. Matthews, 1795. [2],73,[1] pp.
Cobbett, William
(1763-1835)
Antidote to Paine's Poison by "P. Porcupine" (aka William Cobbett). Philadelphia: Printed by William Cobbett, 1797. [5], p. 252-327, [1], vii, [2], 10-96, [2], 80, 18 pp.; 22 cm. Contents: (from t.p.) His life / by Francis Oldys ; interspersed with remarks and reflections -- An answer to his Rights of man / by H. Makenzie, Esq., of Edinborough -- An answer to his Age of reason / by R. Watson ... -- An answer to his Letter to General Washington / by Peter Porcupine. Note(s): Consists of four pamphlets, also separately issued, here issued in 1 v. "His life", the 1st pamphlet, is the Sept. 1796 issue of Porcupine's Political censor, with the caption title: Life of Thomas Paine, interspersed with remarks and reflections./ Issued in 1796 with title: An antidote for Tom Paine's theological and political poison.
Died. Connecticut Herald, vol. VI, iss. 295, June 20, 1809, p. 3. Third column, about 2/3 down the page.
Reprint of Paine's obituary from New York Evening Post, June 10, 1809.
"C. T. S."
Letter by C. T. S.The Wisconsin State Register. December 15, 1883, p. 1.
Editorial. From The Sun, n. 1677. February 2, 1798. "Mr. Erskine's Speech on moving for Judgment against the Publisher of the Age of Reason, does infinite credit to his talents and his feelings. -- We are always happy in witnessing the professional abilities and integrity of that Gentleman."
Citizen. Obituary. The Evening Post, n. 2210, June 10, 1809, p. 3. Column 4, about a third down the page. "Died, on Thursday morning, the 8th inst., THOMAS PAINE, author of the Crisis, Rights of Man, &c. Mr. Paine had a desire to be interred in the Quaker burying ground, and some days previous to his demise, had an interview with some Quaker gentlemen on the subject, but as he declined a renunciation of his deistical opinions, his anxious wishes were not complied with. He was yesterday intered at New-Rochelle, Westchester county, perhaps on his own farm. I am unacquainted with his age, but he had lived long, done some good, and much harm."
Published in Baltimore, Maryland. The Federal Republican & Commercial Gazette (Country edition) began publication April 24, 1809 [v. 2, no. 127] and ceased in 1812[?]. It was published triweekly. It assumed the numbering of the concurrent edition. It was suspended with the June 20, 1812 issue and resumed with the July 27, 1812 issue. It was also published as the Federal Republican and Commercial Gazette. Other editions include the Federal Republican & Commercial Gazette (Baltimore: 1808). The newspaper absorbed the North American and Mercantile Daily Advertiser (Baltimore: triweekly), October 5, 1809.
Obituary. Federal Republican and Commercial Gazette, June 13, 1809, vol. 2, iss. 170, p. 2. First column, half-way down the page. Reprint from New York Evening Post, June 10, 1809.
Fisher, Miers
A Reply to the false reasoning in the "Age of reason." To which are added, some thoughts on idolatry; on the devil; and the origin of moral evil; on educating young men for the Gospel ministry; and on what is "the word of God." All which refer, more or less, to opinions advanced in Thomas Paine's "Investigation of true and fabulous theology."
Letter to Paine on his deism, by Ben Franklin. Notes by David Barton.
Fraser, Donald
A Collection of select biography: or, The Bulwark of truth being a sketch of the lives and testimonies of many eminent laymen, in different countries, who have professed their belief in, and attachment to the Christian religion --whether distinguished as statesmen, patriots, philosophers, &c.: --to which are prefixed two letters to Thomas Paine, containing some important queries and remarks relative to the probable tendency of his Age of reason.
Patrick Henry, too, wrote a refutation of Paine's work which he described as "the puny efforts of Paine." S. G. Arnold, The Life of Patrick Henry of Virginia (Auburn and Buffalo: Miller, Orton and Mulligan, 1854), p. 250, to his daughter Betsy on August 20, 1796; see also, George Morgan, Patrick Henry (Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott Company, 1929), p. 366 n; and Bishop William Meade, Old Churches, Ministers, and Families of Virginia (Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott Company, 1857), Vol. II, p. 12.
Hexham, Irving, and Karla Poewe
"Tom Paine's Age of Reason and Modern Unbelief" -- here.
Hincks, Thomas Dix
Letters addressed to the inhabitants of Cork : In defence of revealed religion, occasioned by the circulation of Mr. Paine's Age of reason, in that city. Edition: Second edition, with alterations and additions. Published: Cork : printed for the author, at Haly's office; and London sold by Messrs. J. Johnson, and Richard White, 1796. Description: vi,[2],112p, 8 vo.
Observations in Answer to the Age of Reason -- Jackson, a journalist and spy,
wrote his response to Paine between his arrest and his trial for the crime of high treason against Britain. An an entry in the Oxford biographies: Due to his age the jury recommended mercy but Jackson committed suicide before his sentence was passed, dramatically collapsing in the dock of the court of king's bench from arsenic poisoning as his counsel addressed the court on 30 April 1795. He is supposed to have taken his own life in order to protect a small pension for his second wife, with whom he had had two daughters. Taylor called him 'a very gallent man, and much favoured by the ladies' (Taylor, 2.325).
Jay, John
John Jay, an author of the Federalist Papers and the original Chief-Justice of the U. S. Supreme Court, was comforted by the fact that Christianity would prevail despite Paine's attack,"I have long been of the opinion that the evidence of the truth of Christianity requires only to be carefully examined to produce conviction in candid minds." William Jay, The Life of John Jay (New York: J. & J. Harper, 1833) Vol. II, p. 266, to the Rev. Uzal Ogden on February 14, 1796. See more of Jay's comments.
The Folly of Reason; Being our perfect and unerring guide, to the knowledge of true religion: In answer to The Age of Reason, or An investigation of true and of fabulous theology. By Thomas Paine, author of works entitled, "Common sense, Rights of man," &c. Printed by Tiebout and O'Brien, for G. Keatinge's book-store, Baltimore, 1794. iv, [1], 6-23, [1] pp.; (12mo)
Kenneday, J.
(1800-1863)
Thomas Paine. From Wesleyan-Methodist Magazine, v. 3, February 1847, pp. 150-154. "There are but few persons living who remember to have seen this talented but morally reckless man. The writer is one of that limited number. Though Paine died while I was young, still his personal appearance is perfectly remembered; and as his character was at that time a subject largely engaging the public attention, he was among those objects which make a strong impression on the young mind."
A Word for the Bible; being a serious reply to the declarations and assertation of the speculative deists and practical atheists of modern times ; particularly The Age of reason, part the second, by Thomas Paine.
American historian. Civil engineer. Read about McMaster here.
WORKS
Old Standards of Public Morals. Addressed to the American Historical Association, December 26, 1905. Published in The American Historical Review, Volume 11, No. 3, 515-528. April 1906. "... Under these standards of public morals all forms of religious belief were tolerated; yet only those men who exercised this toleration in such manner as to become Protestants or Christians could be eligible to offices of state. The preaching, as it should always be, was above the practice. The moral standard, as it should always be, was far in advance of the times. To the credit of the fathers, many of them soon overtook it. When the Federal Constitution was framed in 1787, Church and State were absolutely divorced. The word ‘God’ was nowhere inserted, and religious belief was nowhere recognized as a qualification for anything."
A History of the people of the United States from the Revolution to the Civil War. Volume 1 of 6. New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1884. University of Pittsburgh Digital Research Library. Text-searchable.
We doubt whether any name in our Revolutionary history, not excepting that of Benedict Arnold, is quite so odious as that of Thomas Paine. Arnold was a traitor, Paine was an infidel. Indeed, the terms in which he is commonly described, and the epithets which are commonly heaped upon him, should seem to imply that of all infidels Paine was the blackest, and that since the day when the Age of Reason came forth from the press the number of infidels has increased much more rapidly than it did before that book was written. The truth is, he was one of the most remarkable men of his time. It would be a difficult matter to find anywhere another such compound of baseness and nobleness, of goodness and badness, of greatness and littleness, of so powerful a mind left unbalanced and led astray by the worst of animal passions.
… Of all the human kind he is the filthiest and nastiest, and his disgusting habits grew upon him with his years. In his old age, when the frugal gifts of two States which remembered his good work and placed him beyond immediate want, he became a sight to behold. It was rare that he was sober; it was still rarer that he washed himself, and he suffered his nails to grow till, in the language of one who knew him well, they resembled the claws of birds. What gratitude was he did not know.
Obituary from New York Evening Post, plus "A Sketch of Paine's character." From Newburyport Herald, vol. XIII, iss. 21, June 16, 1809, page 3 (Third column) and page 4 (First column, 2/3 down page).
"Thomas Paine, who lately died in New-York, is a character of unequivocal and decided stamp, gifted with considerable talents; he employed them in the most nefarious purposes. Completely unprincipled, he was always uniform in conduct, and never deviated into virtue or honor. -- His ends were to destroy fixed principles, and he never was scrupulous about means. He was useful to this country in the revolution, but it was from vanity and accident, not patriotism -- Bold, ardent, restless and intriguing, he never was contented with any measure of wickedness he had reached, but continued till the last in labouring to destroy the best maxims of government and the fairest promises of religion. This man will long remain on record to show the world how much injury can be done by an individual, although destitute and despicable. Infidelity until his time had been shrouded in metaphysical subtleties, which were too abstruse for common intellects; but he gave to the lower order of profance sketches precisely what they wanted -- bold attention, false reasoning and vulgar sarcasm; armed with thesee, they sapped the foundation of hope and heart in the minds of the ignorant, and destroyed the few good impressions of the timid and wavering." ...
The Dictionary of American Biography says of Paine, "He died in New York on June 8, 1809. There is no evidence of a death-bed repentance, though naturally enough such stories were industriously circulated (Conway, Life, II, 420). Since consecrated ground was closed to the infidel, he was buried in a corner of his farm in New Rochelle. In 1819 William Cobbett [q.v.], to atone for his bitter attacks on Paine in the nineties, had the latter's bones dug up, and took them back to England, intending to raise a great monument to the patriotic author of the Rights of Man. The monument was never erected, and on Cobbett's death in 1835 the bones passed into the hands of a receiver in probate. The court refused to regard them as an asset, and, with the coffin, they were acquired by a furniture dealer in 1844, at which point they are lost to history."
See more of the judgment of history upon Paine here [Word file].
When William Paterson, signer of the Constitution and a Justice on the U. S. Supreme Court, learned that some Americans seemed to agree with Paine's work, he thundered, "Infatuated Americans, why renounce your country, your religion, and your God?" John E. O’Conner, William Paterson: Lawyer and Statesman (New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 1979), p. 244, from a Fourth of July Oration in 1798.
Died. From Portland Gazette, and Maine Advertizer, Vol. 12; n. 10, June 19, 1809, page 3. Third column, 2/3 down the page. Reprint of Paine's obituary from New York Evening Post, June 10, 1809.
Letters to a young man, part II. Occasioned by Mr. Evanson's treatise on the dissonance of the four generally received Evangelists. By Joseph Priestley. London, 1793. 164 pp.
"...The circumstances of the Christian church, which received these books and transmitted them to us, were such, as there cannot be a doubt with respect to the competency of their evidence; because they were published in the life time of thousands and myriads, who were as competent witnesses of the facts, as the writers themselves; and there cannot be any question of their veracity, unless we suppose they all combined to tell and to propagate a falsehood, to their own prejudice, and merely to impose on all posterity -- which would be a greater miracle, as being more contrary to what we know of human nature, than any thing recorded in these books."
The Rise and Dissolution of the infidel societies in this metropolis; including, the origin of modern deism and atheism, the genius and conduct of those associations, their lecture-rooms, field-meetings, and deputations, from the publication of Paine's Age of Reason till the present period: with general considerations on the influence of infidelity upon society, answering the various objections of deists and atheists, and a postscript upon the present state of democratical politics, remarks upon Professor Robison's late work, &c. &c.London: J. Hatchard, (T.Burton), 1800. vii, 117 pp.; 22 cm.
Repertory
Published in Boston, Massachusetts.
Paris, July 30th, 1796. From Repertory, vol. VI, iss. 1, January 3, 1809, page 2. Publication of extracts of Paine's letter to George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson's letters to Paine.
Paine: "I declare myself opposed to severl matters in the constitution, particularly to the manner in which, what is called the Executive is formed, and to the long duration of the Senate; and if I live to return to America, I will use my endeavours to have them altered. I also declare myself opposed to almost the WHOLE OF YOUR ADMINISTRATION, for I know it to be deceitful if not persidious, as I shall shew in the course of this letter."
Benjamin Rush, signer of the Declaration, wrote to his friend and signer of the Constitution John Dickinson that Paine's Age of Reason was "absurd and impious"; Benjamin Rush, Letters of Benjamin Rush, L. H. Butterfield, editor. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1951, Vol. II, p. 770, to John Dickinson on February 16, 1796.
(9) "Reasonable deists cannot but become Christians, where the gospel shines." These several passages of the sacred writings account sufficiently for the infidelity of our several deistical writers. Bolingbroke, Voltaire, Gibbon, Paine, and most others, of whom I have had knowledge, seem to have been destitute of the proper state of mind for the investigation of religious truth.
"From several conversations, which it has been my chance to have with unbelievers, I have learned, that ignorance of the nature of our religion, and a disinclination to study both it and its evidence, are to be reckoned among the chief causes of infidelity."
Allix's Reflection upon the books of the Holy Scripture, contain a large number of valuable thoughts, and should be read in opposition to all the flimsy objections of the above deists. Kett's Sermons sufficiently invalidate the sophistry of Gibbon. Much satisfactory light has lately been thrown upon the Plagues of Egypt, by Bryant. The Old Testament has been defended against the attacks of Paine by David Levi, a learned Jew, with considerable ability. But of all single books, none is equal to the admirable Course of Lectures by Doddridge [Vol. 1 , 513pp. and Vol. 2, 547 pp.]; a work which no inquisitive Christian should be without in his library.
American jurist, author, and politician from Windham, Connecticut. Author of the first legal text in the United States, A System of the Laws of the State of Connecticut, Windham: John Byrne, 1795. Read about Swifthere and here.
WORKS
A System of the laws of the state of Connecticut: In six books. Extract from Volume 2. Windham, 1795-1796. 493 pp. 2 volumes.
"To prohibit the open, public, and explicit denial of the popular religion of a country, is a necessary measure to preserve the tranquility of a government. Of this no person in a Christian country can complain, for admitting him to be an infidel, he must acknowledge, that no benefit can be derived from the subversion of a religion which enforces the best system of morality, and inculcates the divine doctrine of doing, justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God. In this view of the subject, we cannot sufficiently reprobate the baseness of Thomas Paine, in his attack on Christianity, by publishing his Age of Reason. While experiencing in a prison, the fruits of his visionary theories of government, he undertakes to disturb the world by his religious opinions. He has the impudence and effrontery, to address to the citizens of the United States of America, a paltry performance, which is intended to shake their faith in the religion of their fathers; a religion, which, while it inculcates the practice of moral virtue, contributes to smooth the thorny road of this life, by opening the prospect of a future and better; and all this he does not to make them happier, or to introduce a better religion, but to imbitter their days by the cheerless and dreary visions of unbelief. No language can describe the wickedness of the man, who will attempt to subvert a religion, which is a source of comfort and consolation to its votaries, merely for the purpose of eradicating all sentiments of religion." Quote from Vol. II, pp. 323-324. Extract here.
Wakefield is said to be a Unitarian. The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography calls him a biblical scholar and religious controversialist who was employed as a rector and then a vicar, then a fellow of Jesus College of Cambridge: Wakefield spent the years of his fellowship dedicated to biblical studies, acquiring several oriental languages as he did so. In 1778 he was ordained deacon, in spite of growing doubts about matters of doctrine and scruples about the practice of subscription to the Thirty-Nine Articles (several Jesuans, including Tyrwhitt, had recently resigned their fellowships over this practice). It was, he later wrote, ‘the most disingenuous action of my whole life; utterly incapable of palliation or apology’ (Memoirs of the Life, 1.121). His clerical life lasted just over a year: he served as curate in Stockport, Cheshire, under a Mr Watson, then successively at St Peter's and St Paul's in Liverpool, all the while hoping to find employment as a schoolmaster. In Liverpool he crusaded against the slave trade and British privateering, and denounced both practices from the pulpit, angering many parishioners.
... His celebrity might have been longer maintained, and his name have been handed down with applause, had he not afterwards have left the line of politics, and presumed to touch on theological subjects of which he was grossly ignorant, as well as totally indifferent to every religious observance as an individual, and in some instances his morals were censured.
Persecuted in England he repaired to France, some time before monarchy was subverted in that nation. There, after listening to the indigested rant of infidels of antecedent date, and learning by rote the jargon of the modern French literati, who zealously laboured in the field of scepticism, he attempted to undermine the sublime doctrines of the gospel, and annihilate the Christian system. * Here he betrayed his weakness and want of principle, in blasphemous scurrilities and impious raillery, that at once sunk his character, and disgusted every rational and sober mind.
It is no apology that this was done at a period, when all principle seemed to lie prostrate beneath the confusions and despotism of the Robespierrian reign. It is true, this insignificant theologian, who affected to hold in contempt all religion, or any expectations of a future state, was at this time trembling under the terrors of the guillotine; and while imprisoned, he endeavoured to ingratiate himself [407] into the favor of the ruling faction of France, by levelling his sarcastic pen against opinions that had been for ages held sacred among mankind.
The effusions of infidelity, entitled the Age of Reason, would not have been thought worthy of a serious refutation, had not much industry been employed, to disseminate this worthless pamphlet among the common classes of mankind. The young, the ignorant, the superficial and licentious, pleased with the attempt to let loose the wild passions of men by removing so efficient a guard as is contained in the sacred scriptures, this pernicious work was by them fought for, and read with avidity. This consideration drew out the pens of men of character and ability, to antidote the poison of licentious wit.
No one had more merit in the effort than the learned, pious, and excellent Dr. Richard Watson, bishop of Landass. His works have always been read with pleasure and applause, by every man of genius, virtue, and taste, in whatever branch of literature he drew his pen. His observations on the writings of Paine, his letters to Mr. Gibbon, with a concluding address to young gentlemen, will be read with delight and improvement by every person who adores the benignity of divine government, long after the writings of infidels of talent and ingenuity are sunk into oblivion.
Men of discernment are ever better pleased with truth, in its most simple garb, than with the sophisticated, though elegant style of wit and raillery, decorated for deception; and the name of Voltaire, with other wits and philosophers of the same description will be forgotten, and even the celebrated Gibbon will cease to be admired by the real friends of the Christian dispensation, while its defenders will be held in veneration to the latest ages.
The lovers of liberty on reasonable and just principles, were exceedingly hurt, that a man so capable as was Mr. [408] Paine, of exhibiting political truth in a pleasing garb, and defending the rights of man with eloquence and precision, should prostitute his talents to ridicule divine revelation, and destroy the brightest hopes of a rational and immortal agent.
Mr. Paine out-lived the storms of revolution both in America and in France, and he may yet add one instance more of the versatility of human events, by out-living his own false opinions and foolish attempts to break down the barriers of religion, and we wish he may by his own pen, endeavour to antidote some part of the poisons he has spread.
* The infidel has shot his bolts away,
Till his exhausted quiver yielding none,
He gleans the blunted shafts that have recoiled,
And aims them at the shield of truth again.
--Cowper
Watson, Richard
(1737-1816)
Watson was bishop of Llandaff and served in numerous academic posts. The Oxford biography says of him: "A student of mathematics before he turned his hand to chemistry, Watson came fresh to the study of religion on his appointment as regius professor of divinity in 1771. He then applied himself not to theology or patristics but to biblical study of the New Testament....In his six volumes of Theological Tracts (1785), which reprinted twenty-four extracts from nineteen writers for 'young persons of every denomination' (1.v), he included works by a number of dissenters, even some Unitarians, insisting that he 'did not at all consider the quarter from whence the matter was taken, but whether it was good, and suited to my purpose' (1.xix). His aim was to establish the truth of Christianity and defend his young readers 'from that contagion of Infidelity which is the disgrace of the age' (1.ix); his target was deists not dissenters...Twice in his career he came forward as a defender of the Christian faith: in 1776 his Apology for Christianity addressed Gibbon's sceptical account of the growth of Christianity in Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire; twenty years later his Apology for the Bible (1796) responded to the second part of Thomas Paine's deist Age of Reason, published in 1795. While his rejoinder to Gibbon was relaxed and courteous that to Paine was urgent and anxious; the debate was no longer an intellectual exercise but a crucial defence of the political and social order."
LETTER V. From The Arminian magazine: consisting of extracts and original treatises on universal redemption, v. 20. February 1797. p. 91.
LETTER VI.. From The Arminian magazine: consisting of extracts and original treatises on universal redemption, v. 20. June 1797. p. 281.
LETTER VII. From The Arminian magazine: consisting of extracts and original treatises on universal redemption, v. 20. August 1797. p. 384
LETTER VIII.. From The Arminian magazine: consisting of extracts and original treatises on universal redemption, v. 20. September 1797. p. 427
From the BISHOP of LANDAFF to THOMAS PAINE. From The Arminian magazine: consisting of extracts and original treatises on universal redemption, v. 20. October 1797. p. 490.
LETTER X. From The Arminian magazine: consisting of extracts and original treatises on universal redemption.v. 20 November 1797. p. 531.
LETTER XI. From The Arminian magazine: consisting of extracts and original treatises on universal redemption, v. 20. December 1797. p. 582.
John Witherspoon said that Paine was "ignorant of human nature as well as an enemy to the Christian faith"; John Witherspoon, The Works of the Reverend John Witherspoon. Philadelphia: William W. Woodward, 1802, Vol. III, p. 24, n. 2, from "The Dominion of Providence over the Passions of Men," delivered at Princeton on May 17, 1776. See more here.
