Deism was distinctly from the standpoint
of the working man. As Morgan had directed his attention mainly to the
Old Testament, Chubb directed his mainly to the New. Like others of his
school, he protests against being thought an enemy to Christianity. His
two works 'The True Gospel of Jesus Christ asserted,' and 'The True
Gospel of Jesus Christ vindicated,' give the best exposition of Chubb's
views. 'Our Lord Jesus Christ' he writes, 'undertook to be a reformer,
and in consequence thereof a Saviour. The true Gospel is this: (1)
Christ requires a conformity of mind and life to that eternal and
unalterable rule of action which is founded in the reason of things, and
makes that the only ground of divine acceptance, and the only and sure
way to life eternal. (2) If by violation of the law they have displeased
God, he requires repentance and reformation as the only and sure ground
of forgiveness. (3) There will be a judgment according to works. This
Gospel wrought a change which by a figure of speech is called "a new
birth"' (Sec. 13). Like Tindal, he contrasts the certainty of natural
with the uncertainty of any traditional religion. He owns 'the Christian
revelation was expedient because of the general corruption; but it was
no more than a publication of the original law of nature, and tortured
and made to speak different things.'[158] He repeats Tindal's objection
to the want of universality of revealed religion on the same grounds.
His chief attacks were, as has been said, made upon the New Testament.
He demurs to the acceptance of the Gospels as infallibly true.

Chubb expresses just those difficulties and objections which would
naturally have most weight with the more intelligent portion of the
working classes. Speculative questions are put comparatively in the
background. His view of the gospel is just that plain practical view
which an artisan could grasp without troubling himself about
transcendental questions, on the nice adjustment of which divines
disputed. 'Put all such abstruse matters aside,' Chubb says in effect to
his fellow-workmen, 'they have nothing to do with the main point at
issue, they are no parts of the true Gospel.' His rocks of offence, too,
are just those against which the working man would stumble. The
shortcomings of the clergy had long been part of the stock-in-trade of
almost all the Deistical writers. Their supposed wealth and idleness
gave, as was natural, special offence to the representat