Addison, Joseph (1672-1719)

The Evidences of the Christian Religion

London

Printed for J. Tonson

1730

"The former of these, our Free-thinkers, out of their singular wisdom, and benevolence to makind, endeavour to erase from the minds of men."

If any thing looks like a recompence of calamitous virtue on this side the grave, it is either an assurance that thereby we obtain the favour and protection of heaven, and shall, whatever befalls us in this, in another life meet with a just return; or else that applause and reputation, which is thought to attend virtuous actions. The former of these, our Free-thinkers, out of their singular wisdom, and benevolence to makind, endeavour to erase from the minds of men. The latter can never be justly distributed in this life, where so many ill actions are reputable, and so many good actions disesteemed or misinterpreted; where subtile hypocrisy is placed in the most engaging light, and modest virtue lies concealed; where the heart and the soul are hid from the eyes of men, and the eyes of men are dimmed and vitiated. Plato's sense in relation to this point is contained in his Gorgias, where he introduces Socrates speaking after this manner.
(pp. 304-5

Writing::Erasing

ECCO-TCP

27 entries in the ESTC (1730, 1733, 1742, 1745, 1751, 1753, 1755, 1758, 1759, 1761, 1763, 1764, 1766, 1767, 1772, 1776, 1777, 1790, 1791, 1792, 1795, 1796, 1799, 1800).

The Evidences of the Christian Religion: by the Right Honorable Joseph Addison, Esq; To which are added, Several Discourses against Atheism and Infidelity, ... Occasionally Published by Him and Others (London: Printed for J. Tonson, 1730). <Link to ECCO-TCP>

08/18/2013