f

beft place in the whole affembly. Mar cus Aurelius being afterwards asked to explain himfelf, declares, That, by imitating the Gods, he endeavoured to imitate them in the ufe of his understanding, and of all other, faculties, and in parti cular, That it was always his study to have as few wants as poffible in himfelf, and to do all the good he could to others.

A

Among the many methods by which revealed religion has advanced morality, this is one, That it has given us a more juft and perfect idea of that Being whom every reasonable creature ought to imitate. The young man, in a heathen Comedy, might juftify his lewdness by the example of Jupiter; as, indeed, there was scarce any crime that might not be countenanced by thofe notions of the Deity which prevailed among the common people in the heathen world. Revealed religion fets forth a proper object for imitation, in that Being who is the pattern, as well as the fource, of all fpiritiual perfection.

While we remain in this life, we are fubject to innumerable temptations, which, if liften'd to, will make us deviate from reafon

reafon and goodnefs, the only things wherein we can imitate the Supreme Being. In the next life we meet with nothing to excite our inclinations that doth not deserve them. I fhall therefore difmifs my reader with this maxim, viz. Our happiness in this world proceeds from the fuppreffion of our defires, but in the next world from the gratification of them.

quis enim virtutem amplectitur ipfam,

Pramia Ji tollas?

IT

Juv.

T is ufual with polemical writers to object ill defigns to their adverfaries. This turns their argument into fatyr, which, inftead of fhewing an error in the understanding, tends only to expose the morals of those they write against. I fhall not act after this manner with refpect to the Free-thinkers. Virtue, and the happiness of society, are the great ends which all men ought to promote, and fome of that Sect would be thought to have at heart above the rest of mankind. But fuppofing those who make that profeffion to carry on a good defign in the fimplicity of their hearts, and according

to

to their best knowledge, yet it is much to be feared, thofe well-meaning fouls, while they endeavoured to recommend virtue, have in reality been advancing the interests of vice, which as I take to proceed from their ignorance of human nature, we may hope, when they become fenfible of their mistake, they will, in consequence of that beneficent principle they pretend to act upon, reform their practice for the future.

The Sages whom I have in my eye fpeak of virtue as the most amiable thing in the world; but at the fame time that they extol her Beauty, they take care to leffen her Portion. Such innocent crea tures are they, and fo great ftrangers to the world, that they think this a likely method to increase the number of her admirers.

Virtue has in her felf the most engaging charms; and Christianity, as it places her in the ftrongest light, and adorned with all her native attractions, so it kindles a new fire in the foul, by adding to them the unutterable rewards which attend her votaries in an eternal ftate. Or if there are men of a Saturnine and heavy complexion, who are not ca

fily lifted up by hope, there is the profpect of everlasting punishment to agitate their fouls, and frighten them into the practice of virtue, and an averfion from vice.

you,

4

Whereas your fober Free-thinkers tell that virtue indeed is beautiful, and vice deformed: the former deferves your love, and the latter your abhorrence; but then, it is for their own fake, or on account of the good and evil which immediately attend them, and are infeparable from their respective natures. As for the immortality of the Soul, or eternal punishments and rewards, thofe are openly ridiculed, or rendered fufpicious by the most fly and laboured artifice.

I will not fay, thefe men act treacheroufly in the caufe of virtue; but, will any one deny, that they act foolishly, who pretend to advance the intereft of it by deftroying or weakening the strongeft motives to it, which are accommodated to all capacities, and fitted to work on all difpofitions, and enforcing those alone which can affect only a generous and exalted mind?

Surely

Surely they must be deftitute of paffion themselves, and unacquainted with the force it hath on the minds of others, who can imagine that the meer beauty of fortitude, temperance and justice, is fufficient to fuftain the mind of man in a fevere course of felf-denial against all the temptations of present profit and fenfuality.

It is my opinion the Freethinkers fhould be treated as a fet of poor ignorant creatures, that have not fenfe to difcover the excellency of religion; it being evident those men are no witches, nor likely to be guilty of any deep defign, who proclaim aloud to the world, that they have lefs motives of honesty than the rest of their fellow-fubjects; who have all the inducements to the exercise of any virtue which a Freethinker can poffibly have, and befides, the expectation of never-ending happiness or mifery as the confequence of their choice.

Are not men actuated by their paffions; and are not hope and fear the most powerful of our paffions? and are there any objects which can roufe and awaken our hopes and fears, like thofe profpects that warm and penetrate the heart of a Chri