. Confessedly a God of
armies and Lord of Hosts; confessedly, too, a hardener of men's hearts
that he might destroy them: he authorised acts at which human nature
shudders, and of which it is ashamed: yet to love, respect, yea,
reverence Him, we are commanded by the self-styled 'stewards of his
mysteries,' on peril of our 'immortal souls.' Verily, these pious
anathematisers ask our credulity a little too much.' In their zeal for
the God of Israel, they are apt to forget that only Himself can compass
impossibilities, and altogether lose sight of the fact that where, who,
or what Jehovah is, no man knoweth. Revelation (so-called) reveals
nothing about the imagined creator of heaven and earth on which a
cultivated intellect can repose with satisfaction. Men naturally desire
positive information concerning the superhuman Deity, belief in whom is
the _sine qua non_ of all religion. But the Bible furnishes no such
information concerning Jehovah. On the contrary, he is their pronounced
'past finding out,' incomprehensible, and the like. 'Canst thou, by
searching, find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty to
perfection?' are questions put by an 'inspired writer,' who felt the
cloudy and unsatisfactory nature of all human conceit about Gods.

Now, a Revelation from God, at least so thinks the Author of this
Apology, might reasonably be expected to make the mode and nature of His
existence manifest. But the Christian Bible falls infinitely short in
this particular. It teaches there is a God; but throws no light on the
dark questions, who, what, or where is God? Numerous and various as are
Scripture texts, none can be cited in explanation of a Deity no older
to-day than he was yesterday, nor younger to-day than he will be
to-morrow; of a Deity who has no relation to space, not being a part
here and a part there, or a whole anywhere: in short, of that Deity
written about by Bishop Watson, who, like every other sincere Christian,
made the mistake of resting his religious faith on 'words without
knowledge.'

It is to this description of faith Atheists object. They think it the
root of superstition, that greatest of all plagues, by which poor
humanity is afflicted. Are they to blame for thus thinking? The
Christian has no mercy on the superstition of the Heathen; and should
scorn to complain when the bitter chalice is returned to his own lips.
Atheists believe the God of Bishop Watson a supernatural chimera, and to
its worshipp