Let. 2. Lord HERBERT f Cherbury. 19

that he fhould communicate his benefits to all his creatures alike, and in equal degrees. It is evident, in fact, that in the diſtribution of his benefits God acteth as a free and ſovereign benefactor, diſpenſing them in vety various degrees, always undoubtedly for wiſe reaſons, but thoſe reaſons often not known to us. It cannot reaſonably be denied, that he hath made ſome whole cla ſſes of beings vaſtly fuperior to others in valuable gifts and endowments, and capacities for happinels: and ſome in- dividuals of the ſame claſs of beings are karaurec with much greater advantages than others And, if we look particularly into God's dealings with the human race, we may obſerve a very remarkable variety. Some are from the beginning endued with much greater natural abilities, and more excellent 4— ſitions, and are placed in a more favourable ſituation, and hap pier circumſtances. Some whole nations are eminently giſlih- guiſhed from others, not only with reſpect to many other ad- vantages of human life, but with reſpect to the means of moral improvement, and are furniſhed with more excellent helps for making a progreſs in wiſdom and virtue, and conſequently i in true happine ſs. All theſe differences between perſons and nations are under the direction of divine providence, as all muſt own that acknowlege a providence, as his Lerdihip profeſſeth to do. And thoſe that are diſtinguiſhed from others by ſuperior advantages, ought to be thankful to God for thoſe adu antages, and to aſ- cribe them to his goodneſs, and not deny that God hath given them thoſe advantages, becauſe there are others that have them not, or not in an equal degree. Since therefore the diſtinguiſhing ſome per ſons and nations with valuable advantages above others, is not inconſiſtent with the univerſal benignity of the great Parent of mankind, for if it were he would not do it; it can never be proved, that he may not grant a revelation to any part of mankind, except at the ſame time it be granted equally to the whole world. Indeed, if all men every-where where required actually to believe that revelation, and were to be condemned for not believing it, it would be neceſſary to have it univerſally pro- mulgated: but ſince the actual belief of z is— of thoſe only to whom it is actually publiſhed, and they, to whom it is not made known, are not put into a worſe condition than if there had been no ſuch revelation granted at all, no argument can be brought to ſhew that it is inconſiſtent with the divine wiſdom or goodneſs, to grant ſuch a revelation to ſome part of mankind, though i it be not actually promulgated to the whole human race. E ſpecially if, in its own nature and original inten- tion, it was fitted and deſigned to be ot univerſal extent: which

2 18