e Dead and the Reviving," which shadows forth a scheme of
Deism, inasmuch as Burnet here flatly contradicts the usual ideas of
"hell torments" or "hell fire," while asserting the necessity of those
"who have not been as good in this life as they ought to be" undergoing
a probationary purification before they attained supreme happiness, yet,
eventually, every human being would inhabit a heavenly elysium, where
perennial pleasure would reign, and sorrow be forever unknown.

Those sentiments indicate a high degree of liberal culture, although
they do not sufficiently embody our ideal of one of the great
Freethinkers of the past. We should have preferred Burnet if he had
systematically opposed the Church as Toland or Tindal, or if he had
boldly entered the breach like William Whiston, whose singular talents
and faithful honesty separated him alike from the Church, Dissent, and
Deism, and left him shipwrecked on the world an able yet a visionary
reformer. With more ability than Chubb, he resembled him in his weak
policy; he chose to cut his sneers in slices, and served them up for
a scholarly party rather than hazard the indignation of the ignorant
amongst the clergy. We are, however, certain that although Thomas Burnet
was deficient in many points where he might have done effective service,
yet we honor him for the boldness with which he faced the scholars with
his Latin works. He threw an apple of discord amongst their ranks which
has served, in a constantly increasing manner, to divide and distract
their attention. The result has been a constant internecine war in the
Church, by which Freethought has largely profited.

We conclude our sketch of Dr. Burnet by quoting some extracts from the
seventh chapter of the "Archaeologia Philosophica," as translated
by Charles Blount in the "Oracles of Reason," concerning Moses's
description of Paradise and the original of things:--

"We have (says Burnet) hitherto made our inquiries into the originals
of things, as well as after a true knowledge of Paradise amongst the
ancients; yet still with reference to sacred writ, where it gave us any
manner of light on the subject, but think it altogether unnecessary
to define the place or situation of Paradise, since in respect to the
theory of the earth, it is much the same thing where you place it,
providing it be not on our modern earth. Now, if you inquire among the
ancient fathers where the situation of it was, either they will have it