CHARLES GILDON.

CHARLES GILDON, an author of some genius and of various literature, has obtained considerable notoriety among the writers who flourished about the beginning of the last century. The only part of his chequered life that can here give any interest or importance to his history, is the circumstance of his being a reclaimed Deist, one who after entangling himself in the labyrinth of infidelity, denying the fundamental principles of religion, and writing panegyrics on suicide; came at last to be convinced of his errors, and made a public recantation of them, by vindicating the great doctrines of Natural Theology, which the party he had abandoned, either denied, or represented as doubtful, and unsupported by proper evidence. His testimony, therefore, well deserves to be recorded, as being given after deliberate conviction, and with a perfect knowledge of the erroneous tenets he undertook to refute.

Mr GILDON was born, in 1666, at Gillingham, near Shaftesbury, in Dorsetshire. His parents and family were Roman Catholics, and consequently endeavoured to instil the same principles into their son. His father was a member of the

Society of Gray's Inn; and a man of considerable property, which was greatly reduced during the

parlamentary was, by his adherence to the royal cause N Guam receed the first rudiments TÉ US SÕNADOL 11 is me piace, but as he was designed in the preschood, he was sent, at twelve ves of ce at the English College at Doway in Fingers, where the youthful disciples of the papistaca church were nurtured in the infallible faith, mder the superintendence of the Jesuits. But it appears the ghostly efforts of these zealous father proved here unsuccessćni ; fur during a progress of five years stacy. Mr Güdon could not be brought to embrace the monstrous absurdities of the Catholic creed; and only found his inclination more strongly confirmed for a quite different course of life.

After quitting the tuition of the secular priests, he returned to England; and as soon as he came of age, be entered into possession of his paternal fortune, which, though not opulent, was respectable, and rendered him capable of enjoying the gaieties and pleasures of fashionable life. He immediately repaired to London, as the place most likely to afford him happiness, adequate to the means with which he was furnished. But as men of genius and vivacity are too often deficient in the article of economy, his expenditure proved too much for his income, and in a short time, he spent the best part of his inheritance. To crown his imprudence, he married about the age of twenty-three, a young lady without any fortune; adding to his other incumbrances, that of a growing family, and no pros pect of improving his exhausted finances.

During the reign of James II., when religion became a matter of state policy, and was agitated with great keenness, Mr Gildon studied the controverted points of theology. He never had given

credit to the tenets of the Romish Church, and could not admit the ridiculous doctrine of infallibility; yet as he had been taught an early reverence for the priesthood, and a submissive obedience to their authority, it was long before he could muster courage to think freely for himself, or declare honestly what he thought. In some of his writings he mentions, that it cost him above seven years' study, before he could overcome the prejudices of his education. This emancipation, however, he at length effected; and, as a transition from the extreme of bigotry to that of scepticism, is a circumstance neither uncommon nor surprising, in liberating himself from the dominion of superstition, Mr Gildon shook off the reverence and belief of all religion, and ended his researches in becoming a confirmed infidel.

The first proofs he gave to the world of his attachment to infidelity was by publishing a book with a very plausible title, called the "Oracles of Reason," written chiefly by his friend Mr Charles Blount; the avowed purpose of which, was to promote the cause of Deism. Blount was a zealous advocate of unbelief, and had previously distinguished himself in the controversy. In 1680, he published a translation of the two first books of Philostratus's Life of Apollonius Tyanæus, with large notes; which were manifestly intended to invalidate the proofs of revelation. Apollonius was a Pythagorean philosopher, who lived in the first century, and whose character and miracles were opposed by the Pagans to those of Jesus Christ. The account of him, by Philostratus, and of the signs and wonders he pretended to have wrought, are little else than absurd and romantic fables, set

off with rhetorical flourishes, and a vain ostentation of learning. The evidence for the miracles recorded by the evangelists is so infinitely superior, as not to deserve a comparison; although Deists have flattered themselves, that, by running this pa rallel, they struck a mortal blow at one of the fundamental proofs of Christianity. Blount published another deistical book, entitled, "Religio Laici," which is little more than a translation of Lord Herbert's Treatise of the same name, with a few trifling additions and improvements.

The Oracles of Reason, which is merely a collection of different pieces, consisting chiefly of letters between the author and his friends, intermixed with fragments and translations from the classics, he did not live to publish; having shortened his days by his own hand, in order to free himself from the uneasiness of a passion which proved too violent for him. His friend Mr Gildon ushered this posthumous volume into the world, with a commendatory preface in vindication of self-murder. Part of this work is designed to prove the reasonableness and sufficiency of natural religion, as opposed to revelation; but the arguments are founded altogether upon a misapprehension of the scheme of mediation discovered in the gospel, which, instead of derogating from the goodness and wisdom of God, is one of the most signal instances of his gracious intentions towards the human race,- -a kind and wise provision for exercising his mercy towards guilty creatures, in such a way as is most becoming his own glorious government and perfections, most proper to remove the jealousies and fears of offenders, and most conducive to their peace and comfort. Other parts of these pretended "Oracles," adopt the opi

nion of the origin of good and evil, from two different, eternal, and independent principles.

As to the article of future rewards and punishments, and the soul's immortality, though they are admitted as necessary parts of natural religion, yet it is stated as a probability, that the soul of man is not of an entirely distinct nature from the body, but only a purer material composition; an opinion quite inconsistent with the doctrine of its immortality. There are, besides, many objections levelled against the sacred Scriptures, particularly against the writings of Moses, with a design to subvert his authority. Most of the arguments offered on this point, are borrowed from ancient authors, several pages together being literally translated, without the least acknowledgment, or any notice taken of the answers which have been repeatedly returned. The exceptions which have frequently been taken at the Mosaic writings, from the irreconcileableness of the accounts there given, with the antiquities pretended to by the most learned heathen nations, particularly the Chaldeans and Egyptians; and which have been so clearly shewn to be unfounded, by the laborious Stillingfleet, in his "Origines Sacra," are here again advanced with as much confidence and effrontery as if they had never been refuted.

These principles, which Mr Gildon had espoused and recommended to the world in strains of pompous eulogy, and with the burning zeal of a devoted proselyte, he afterwards, upon more deliberate consideration, publicly retracted. Meantime, having dissipated his patrimony by thoughtlessness and extravagance, he found it necessary to have recourse to some method for retrieving his fortune,