enemies will be hardly persuaded to give it a softer name than downright atheism. Nor is it impiety in general, of which, we endeavour to acquit him, but only that species of it, which teaches that Religion is useless to Society. And this we think we have done; although it be by shewing him to have run into the opposite extreme, which would insinuate it was the creature of politics.

Cardan comes next to be considered: and him nobody hath injured. He, too, is under Bayle's delusion, concerning Pomponatius: For, writing on the same subject*, he borrows the Peripatetic's arguments to prove that Religion was even pernicious to Society. This was so bold a stroke, that Mr. Bayle, who generally follows him pretty closely, drops him here: Nor do I know that he ever had a second, except it was the unhappy philosopher of Malmsbury; who, scorning to argue upon the matter, imperiously pronounced, that he who presumed to propagate Religion in a Society, without leave of the Magistrate, was guilty of the crime of Lese Majesty, as introducing a power superior to the Leviathan's. But it would be unpardonable to keep the reader much longer on this poor lunatic Italian, in whom, as Mr. Bayle pleasantly observes, sense was, at best, but an appendix to his folly. Besides,

* De immortalitate animorum liber, Lugd. ap. Gryph. 1545; et Opera omnia, fol. Lugduni, 1663, Tom. II. p. 458.

+ The charming picture he draws of himself, and which he excuses no otherwise than by laying the fault on his STARS, will hardly prejudice any one in favour of his opinions. How far it resembles any other of the brotherhood they best know, who have examined the genius of modern infidelity.

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Besides, there is little in that tract, but what he stole from Pomponatius; the strength of which, to support Cardan's paradox, hath been considered already; or what Mr. Bayle hath borrowed from him; the force of which shall be considered hereafter: But that little is so peculiarly his own, that as no other can claim the property, so no one hath hitherto usurped the use. Which yet, however, is remarkable; for there is no trash so worthless, but what some time or other finds a place in a Free-thinker's system. We will not despair then but that this paltry rubbish may one day or other have an honourable station in some of these fashionable fabrics. And, not to hinder its speedy preferment, I shall here give it the reader in its full force, without answer or reply. He brings the following argument to prove that the doctrine of the immortality of the soul is even destructive to society;"From this flattering notion of a FUTURE STATE, ill men get opportunity to compass their wicked de"signs: and, on the same account, good men suffer themselves to be injuriously treated. Civil laws,

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relying infidelity. However, thus he speaks of his own amiable turn of mind: "In diem viventem, nugacem, religionis " contemptorem, injuriæ illatæ memorem, invidum, tristem, "insidiatorem, proditorem, magum, incantatorem, suorum

osorem, turpi libidini deditum, solitarium, inamoenum, "austerum; sponte etiam divinantem, zelotypum, obscœ« num, lascivum, maledicum, varium, ancipitem, impurum, "calumniatorem," &c. We have had many Free-thinkers, but few such Free-speakers. But though these sort of writers are not used to give us so direct a picture of themselves, yet it hath been observed, that they have unawares copied from their own tempers, in the ungracious drawings they have made of HUMAN NATURE and RELIGION.

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relying on this fanciful assistance, relax their neces

sary severity; and thus is the opinion productive of "much mischief to mankind *." And then, by another argument as good, he shews the benefits accruing to the state from the belief of the soul's mortality: "Those who maintain that the soul dies "with the body, must needs be, by their principles, "honester men than others, because they have a "peculiar interest in preserving their reputation; "this being the only future property they pretend to: "And the Profession of the Soul's mortality being "generally esteemed as scandalous as that of usury, "such men will be most exact and scrupulous in point "of honour, as your usurer, to keep up the credit of "his calling, is of all men the most religious observer "of his wordt."

SECT. IV.

MR. BAYLE, the last supporter of this parodox, is of a very different character from these Italian Sophists: A writer, who, to the utmost strength and clearness of reasoning, hath added all the liveliness, and delicacy of wit; who, pervading human nature at his case, struck into the province of PARADOX, as an exercise for the unwearied vigour of his mind: who, with a soul superior to the sharpest attacks of fortune, and a heart practised to the best philosophy, had not yet enough of real greatness to overcome

De immortalitate animorum, cap. ii.

+ Cap. xxxiii. ejusd. tract,

that

that last foible of superior minds, the temptation of honour, which the ACADEMIC EXERCISE OF WIT is conceived to bring to its professors.

A writer of this character will deserve a particular regard: for paradoxes, which in the hands of a Toland or a Tindal end in rank offensive impiety, will, under the management of a BAYLE, always afford something for use or curiosity: Thus, in the very work we are about to examine*, the many admirable observations on the nature and genius of polytheism, happen to be a full answer to all which the Author of Christianity as old as the Creation hath advanced against the use of Revelation. For a skilful chemist, though disappointed in his grand magisterium, yet often discovers, by the way, some useful and noble medicament; while the ignorant pretender to the art, not only loses his labour, but fills all about him with the poisonous steams of sublimate,

The professed design of Mr. Bayle's work is to enquire, which is least hurtful to mankind, ancient idolatry, or modern atheism: And had he confined himself to that subject, we had had no concern with him, but should have left him in the hands of Mess. Jacquelot and Bernard. I freely own they are both stark naught: All the difference is, that Atheism directly excludes and destroys the true sense of moral right and wrong; and Polytheism sets up a false species of it,

* Pensées diverses, ecrites à un docteur de Sorbonne à l'occasion de la comete qui parût au mois de Decembre, 1680. &Continuation des Pensées diverses, &c. ou Reponse à plusieurs difficultez, &c.

But the more particular, though less avowed, purpose of this elaborate treatise is to prove, that Atheism is not destructive of society; and here he falls under our notice; no distinct answer, that I know of, having been yet attempted to this part of his performance.

His arguments in support of this Paradox, are occasionally, and so without any method, interspersed throughout that large work; But, to give them all the advantage they are capable of, I have here collected and disposed them in such order, that they mutually support, and come in to the aid of one another.

It had been generally esteemed a proof of the destructive nature of Atheism to Society, that this principle excludes the knowledge of moral good and evil; such knowledge being, as will be seen, posterior to the knowledge of a God. His first argument therefore for the innocence of Atheism is,

I." That an Atheist may have an idea of the moral "difference between good and evil, because Atheists, แ as well as Theists, may comprehend the first prin"ciples of morals and metaphysics, from which this difference may be deduced. And in fact (he says) "both the Epicurean atheist, who denied the provi"dence of God, and the Stratonic atheist, who denied "his Being, had this idea

This often repeated argument is so loosely expressed, that it is capable of many meanings; in some of which

Voiez les Pensées diverses, cap. clxxviii. & suiv. & l'addition à ces Pensées cap. iv. Reponse à la 10 & à la 13 objections, & la Continuation des Pens. div. cap. cxliii.

the