and be vigilant for the Good of his Fellow-Subjects. This generous Inclination, no Man poffeffes in a warmer degree than your felf; which, that Heaven would Reward with long Poffeffion of that Reputation into which You have made fo early an Entrance, the Reputation of a Man of Sense, a good Citizen, and agreeable Companion, a difinterested Friend, and an unbiaffed Patriot, is the hearty Prayer of, SIR, Your moft Obliged, and moft Obedient, Humble Servant, The GUARDIAN. THE GUARDIAN VOL. II. N° 83. Tuesday, June 16. 1713. Nimirum infanus paucis videatur, eò quòd HERE is a restless Endeavour in the mind of Man after Happiness. This Appetite is wrought into the Original Frame of our Nature, and exerts it felf in all Parts of the Creation that are endued with any degree of Thought or Sense. But as the Human Mind is dignified by a more comprehenfive Faculty than can be found in the inferior Animals, it is natural for Men not only to have an Eye, each to his own Happiness, but also to endeavour to promote that of others in the fame Rank of Being: And in proportion to the Generofity that is ingredient in the Temper of the Soul, the_Object of its Benevolence is of a larger or narrower Extent. There is hardly a Spirit upon Earth fo mean and contracted, as to centre all Regards on its own Intereft, exclufive of the rest of Mankind. Even the selfish Man hath fome Share of Love, which he bestows on his Family and his Friends. A nobler Mind hath at heart the common Intereft of the Society A 4 Society or Country of which ke makes a Part. And there is ftill a more diffufive Spirit, whofe Being or Intentions reach the whole Mafs of Mankind, and are continued beyond the prefent Age, to a Succeffion of future Generations. THE Advantage arifing to him who hath a Tincture of this Generofity on his Soul, is, that he is affected with a fublimer Joy than can be comprehended by one who is deftitute of that noble Relish. The Happiness of the reft of Mankind hath a natural Connexion with that of a reasonable Mind. And in proportion, as the Actions of each Individual contribute to this end, he must be thought to deserve well or ill both of the World and of himself. I have in a late Paper obferved, that Men who have no reach of Thought do oft mifplace their Affections on the Means, without refpect to the End, and by a prepofterous defire of things in themselves indifferent, forego the Enjoyment of that Happiness which thofe things are inftrumental to obtain. This Obfervation has been confidered with regard to Criticks and Mifers; I fhall now apply it to Free-thinkers. LIBERTY and Truth are the main Points which thefe Gentlemen pretend to have in view; to proceed therefore methodically, I will endeavour to fhew in the firft place that Liberty and Truth are not in themselves defirable, but only as they relate to a farther End. And fecondly, that the fort of Liberty and Truth (allowing them thofe Names) which our Free-thinkers use all their Industry to promote, is destructive of that End, viz. Human Happiness : And confequently that Species, as fuch, instead of being encouraged or esteemed, merit the Deteftation and Abhorrence of all honeft Men. And in the last place I defign to fhew, that under the Pretence of advancing Liberty and Truth, they do in reality promote the two contrary Evils. AS to the first Point, It has been obferved that it is the Duty of each particular Perfon to aim at the Happinefs of his Fellow-Creatures; and that as this View is of a wider or narrower Extent, it argues a Mind more or lefs virtuous. Hence it follows, that a Liberty of doing good Actions which conduce to the Felicity of Mankind, and a Knowledge of fuch Truths as might either give us Pleasure in the Contemplation of them, or direct our Conduct to the great Ends of Life, are valuable Perfections. But fhall a good Man, therefore, prefer a Liberty to commit Murder or Adultery, before the wholfom reltraint of Divine and Human Laws? Or fhall a wife Man prefer the Knowledge of a troublesom and afflicting Truth, before a pleasant Error that would cheer his Soul with Joy and Comfort, and be attended with no ill Confequences? Surely no Man of common Sense would thank him, who had put it in his Power to execute the fudden Suggeftions of a Fit of Paffion or Madness, or imagine himself obliged to a Perfon, who by forwardly inform-ing him of ill News, had caufed his Soul to anticipate that Sorrow which she would have never felt, fo long as the ungrateful Truth lay concealed. LET us then refpect the Happiness of our Species, and in this Light examine the Proceedings of the Free-thinkers. From what Giants and Monsters would these Knighterrants undertake to free the World? From the Ties that Religion impofeth on our Minds, from the Expectation of a future Judgment, and from the Terrors of a troubled Confcience, not by reforming Mens Lives, but by giving Encouragement to their Vices. What are those Important Truths of which they would convince Mankind? That there is no fuch thing as a wife and just Providence; That the Mind of Man is corporeal; That Religion is a State-trick, contrived to make Men honeft and virtuous, and to procure a Subfiftence to others for teaching and exhorting them to be fo; That the good Tidings of Life and Immortality brought to Light by the Gospel, are Fables and Impoftures: From believing that we are made in the Image of God, they would degrade us to an Opinion that we are on a Level with the Beafts that perish. What Pleasure or what Advantage do these Notions bring to Mankind? Is it of any use to the Publick that good Men fhould lose the comfortable Prospect of a Reward to their Virtue, or the Wicked be encouraged to perfift in their Impiety, from an Affurance that they fhall not be punished for it hereafter? ALLOWING, therefore, thefe Men to be Patrons of Liberty and Truth, yet it is of fuch Truths and that fort of Liberty which makes them juftly be looked upon as Enemies to the Peace and Happiness of the World. But upon a thorough and impartial View it will be found that their Endeavours, inftead of advancing the Caufe of Liberty and Truth, tend only to introduce Slavery and Error among Men. There are two Parts in our Nature, the Bafer, which confifts of our Senfes and Paffions, and the more Noble and Rational, which is properly the Human Part, the other being common to us with Brutes. The inferior Part is generally much Itronger, and has always the start of Reafon, which, if in the perpetual Struggle between them, if it were not aided from Heaven by Religion, would almoft univerfally be vanquish'd, and Man become a Slave to his Paffions, which as it is the moft grievous and fhameful Slavery, fo it is the genuine Result of that Liberty which is propofed by overturning Religion. Nor is the other Part of their Defign better executed. Look into their pretended Truths; Are they not fo many wretched Abfurdities, maintained in Oppofition to the Light of Nature and Divine Revelation by fly Innuendos and cold Jefts, by fuch pitiful Sophifms and fuch confufed and indigefted Notions, that one would vehemently fufpect thofe Men ufurped the Name of Free-thinkers, with the fame View that Hypocrites do that of Godliness, that it may serve for a Cloke to cover the contrary Defect? I fhall close this Difcourfe with a Parallel Reflexion on these three Species, who feem to be allied by a certain Agreement, in Mediocrity of Understanding. A Critick is intirely given up to the Purfuit of Learning; when he has got it, Is his Judgment clearer, his Imagination livelier, or his Manners more polite than thofe of other Men? Is it obferved that a Mifer, when he has acquired his fuperfluous Eftate, eats, drinks, or fleeps with more Satisfaction, that he has a chearfuiler Mind, or relishes any of the Enjoyments of Life better than his Neighbours? The Free-thinkers plead hard for a Licence to think freely; they have it; but what ufe do they make of it? Are they eminent for any fublime Discoveries in any of the Arts and Sciences? Have they been Authors of any Inventions that conduce to the Well-being of Mankind? Do their Writings fhew a greater depth of Defign, a clearer Method, or more just and correct Reafoning than thofe of other Men? THERE |