GENERAL INTRODUCTION.—Object of the book—Intolerance and persecution of Christian sects—Their abuse of Infidels and calumnious treatment of Thomas Paine—His name and services appreciated by Liberals—Pernicious influence of the Bible upon morals—Knowledge of the laws of our existence the only sure guide to wisdom, happiness, and virtue. GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE.—Character and situation of the Jews—Their treatment by Jehovah—Why were they chosen, and did they answer the end of their choice?—Probable reasoning of the Jewish God—Account of his visit to Abram and Sarah, and their reception and treatment of him—The consequences to the Jews of considering themselves the chosen people—The five books said to have been written by Moses—Treatment of Hagar and her child—Jehovah and the Jews. CHAPTER I.—From the Creation to the Deluge. CHAPTER II.—A Review of the Deluge and the confusion of Tongues at the Tower of Babel. CHAPTER III.—From the Confusion of Tongues to the Birth of Moses. CHAPTER IV.—From the Birth of Moses to the Death of Joshua. CHAPTER V.—From the Death of Joshua to the Reign of Saul. CHAPTER VI.—The Reigns of Saul, David, and Solomon. CHAPTER VII.—The Reign of Jeroboam, and the separation of Israel from Judah. CHAPTER VIII.—On Divine Inspiration. NEW TESTAMENT INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER.—Jehovah’s dealings with the Jews—His failure to make them a pattern to the rest of the human family—The coming of Christ—The manner of his introduction—his associates; language; and conduct—Miracles—The Jews had sufficient reason, for rejecting Jesus as the Messiah. CHAPTER I.—Jesus the pretended Saviour of the world, not sent from God—Moses wrote the most minute things Connected with die system established by himself, but Jesus left no writings whatever-—Vagueness and want of authenticity of the writings of the Evangelists—General ignorance among Christians of what is the true Gospel—No proof of the heavenly origin of Jesus—His baptism by John—His temptation by the Devil—Its absurdity—Abusive language of Jesus to the Jews—His unfitness for his mission, and failure to prove himself sent from God. CHAPTER II.—Casting out Devils—The case of Mary Magdalene—The doctrine of demoniacal possession, a heathen dogma—Miracles of Jesus no proof of his Divine origin—Evidence from the New Testament that no miracles ever took place—Inconsistent conduct and abusive language of Jesus—The miracle at his baptism—Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus from the clouds—Folly of miracles and their injurious consequence. CHAPTER III.—Peter—Disingenuous mode adopted by Jesus to prove his Messiahship—The introduction of his mission to the Jews—His obscure doctrines, and disrespectful Language—Survey of his teaching, and mode of life—Inutility of his object—His betrayal—Judas Iscariot.