of course exceedingly eager to justify a profession so presumptuous.
This eagerness betrays them into courses, of which no one bent on
rejecting whatever is either opposed to, or unsanctioned by experience,
can possibly approve. It is plain that of the God they tell us to
believe 'created the worlds,' no man has any experience. This granted,
it follows that worship of such fancied Being is mere superstition.
Until it be shown by reference to the general course of things, that
things had an author, Himself uncreated or unauthorised, religious
philosophers have no right to expect Atheists to abandon their Atheism.
The duty of priests is to reconcile religion with reason, if they can,
and admit their inability to do so, if they cannot.

Romanists will have nothing to do with reason whenever it appears at
issue with their faith. All sects, as sects, play fast and loose with
reason. Many members of all sects are forward enough to boast about
being able to give a reason for the faith that is in them; but an
overwhelming majority love to exalt faith above reason. Philosophy they
call 'vain,' and some have been found so filled with contempt for it, as
to openly maintain that what is theologically true, is philosophically
false; or, in other terms, that the truths of religion and the truths of
philosophy have nothing in common. According to them, religious truths
are independent and superior to all other truths. Our faith, say they,
if not agreeable to _mere_ reason, is infinitely superior to it. Priests
are 'at one' on the point. Dissenting and Protestant, as well as
Romanising priests, find it convenient to abuse reason and extol faith.
As priests, they can scarcely be expected to do otherwise; for reason is
a stern and upright judge, whose decrees have hitherto been unfavourable
to religion. Its professors who appeal to that judge, play a part most
inconsistent and dangerous, as is evident in the case of Origen
Bachelor, who more zealous and candid than prudent, declared the real