Let. 24. Lord BoLINGBROKE. 411

¹«and apply theſe materials, and to carry on the work— This „« the Creator has done for us. What we ſhall do for ourſelves,

«« he has left to the freedom of our elections. This is the plan «« of divine wiſdom: and we know nothing more particular, 94

and indeed nothing more at all, of the diſpenſations of pro- «* vidence than this 1.„ This then is all the part he allows to providence in the mor al world, that God has given man reaſon, and, as he elſewhere obſerves, paſſion e, and has left him to the freedom of his own will, without ever concerning himſelf farther about the individuals of the human race, or exerciſing any inſpection over men's moral conduct, in order to the re- warding the good, or puniſſ hing the bad. That this is his intention is manifeſt by com par ing this Srith other paſſages. He ex prefly declares, that“ it is plain from the whole courſe of God s pro- ² vidence, that he regards his human creature s collectively, ec not maßeiduani how worthy ſoever every one of them deem himſelf to be a particular object of the divine care f.“ This of God's regarding men collectively, not individually, is what he frequently repeats; and it appears to be a principal point in his ſcheme. With the ſame view he declares, that the fanétions of the law of nature relate not to indiv viduals, but to collective bodies s. He finds fault with the notion, which, he ſays, ob- tained among the heathens,“ that God was conſtantly Atlen⸗ «« tive to the affairs of men h.“ And aſſerts, that God may foreſee, or rather ſee, all the moſt contingent events that happen in the courſe of his general providence; but not provide for particular caſes, nor determine the exiſtence of ** particular men ¹,“ He obſerves, that“ the divine providence has provided means to puniſh individuals, by directing men to form ſocieties, and to eſtabiſh laws, in the execution of

* which civil magiſtrates are the vicegerents of providence. « And when the immorality individua nes that of an

8 —

* whole ſociety, then the judgments of are puniſhed collectlely in the courſe denet. 3

for individua

low, and men

of a general provi- ee So that he allc ws no 2 Paniſ nts „but thoſe wh zch re executed by giſtrates. And if a man can eſcape pun

Vprovidence

e civil ma-

has nothing to fear from God, erref the whole community bę as bad as himſelf. And even then the puniſhment may not hap- pen in that or the next age, till he ſhall be no mor

I110 II1OTC.

Rt IrOm them he 1

4 Vol. v. p. 473, 474. e Ibid. p. 417. f Ibid. p. 431. s Ibid. p. 90. h Ibid. p. 211. 4 Ibid. p. 462.