trance, the Reputation of a Man of Sense, a good Citizen, an agreeable Companion, a difinterefted Friend, and an unbiaffed Patriot, is the hearty Prayer of, SIR, Tour most Obliged, and moft Obedient, Humble Servant, The GUARDIAN. THE GUARDIAN. VOL. II. N° 83. Tuesday, June 16. Nimirum infanus paucis videatur, eo quod 1713. Hor. HERE is a reftless 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 Senfe. 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 in gredient 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 center all Regards on its own Intereft, exclufive of the reft of Mankind. Even the selfish Man hath fome fhare of Love, which he bestows on his Family and his Friends. A nobler Mind hath at Heart the common Intereft of the VOL. II. Society B "Society or Country of which he makes a Part. And there is ftill a more diffufive Spirit, whofe Being or Intentions reach the whole Mass 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 Relifh. The Happiness of the reft of Mankind hath a natural Connexion with that of a reafonable Mind. And in proportion, as the Actions of each Individual contribute to this End, he must be thought to deferve 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 those things are inftrumental to obtain. This Obfervation has been confidered with regard to Critics 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 further End. And Secondly, that the fort of Liberty and Truth (allowing them thofe Names) which our Free-Thinkers ufe all their Induftry to promote, is deftructive of that End, viz. Human Happiness; And confequently, that Species, as fuch, inftead of being encouraged or esteemed, merit the Detestation and Abhorrence of all honest 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 observed that it is the Duty of each particular Períon to aim at the Happiness of his Fellow-Creatures; and that as this View is of a wider or narrower Extent, it argues a Mind more or less 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 Plea fure fure 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 reftraint of Divine and Human Laws? Or fhall a wife Man prefer the Knowledge of a troublefom and afflicting Truth, before a pleafant Error that would cheer his Soul with Joy and Comfort, and be attended with no ill Confequences? Surely no Man of common Senfe would thank him, who had put it in his Power to execute the fudden Suggestions of a Fit of Paffion or Madness, or imagine himself obliged to a Perfon, who by forwardly informing him of ill News, had caufed his Soul to anticipate that Sorrow which The 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 thefe Knight-errants 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 thofe Important Truths of which they would convince Mankind? That there is no fuch thing as a wife and juft Providence; That the Mind of Man is corporeal; That Religion is a Statetrick, 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 perifh. What Pleafure or what Advantage do thefe Notions bring to Mankind? Is it of any Ufe to the Publick that good Men fhould lofe the comfortable Profpect 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 |