Let. 24. Lord BoLINOBROKE. 417

the effects of virtue and vice on collective bodies, are“ ſuch *as particular perfons will be apt to think do not concern «them, becauſe they confider themſ-lves as s individuals s, and „ catch at pleaſure rather than ha appineſs? And as nations are made up of families and ſmaller ſocieties, it theſe be nort well conſtituted, as they cannot be where there is no ſenſe of religion, no fear of God, or regard to a providence as extend-

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ing to individuals, there can mot be much national order or

virtue. Lord Holingbroke would, in my opinion, have been more conſiſtent with himſelf, if he had abſolutely denied, that pro- vidence hath any regard to mankind at all, than to pretend that it extends to collective bodies, but not to individuals. For th ſame arguments, which prove a providence as extending to mankind in general, do alſo, if righ tly conſidered, prove that it is exerciſed towards particular perſons, and extendeth to par- ticular caſes and circumſtances. This writer ſets himſelf, as hath been already obſerved, with great appearance ok zcal, to

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vindicate the goodneſs and juſtice of divine providence in its diſ- penſations towards mankind, in oppoſi ition both to Atheiſts and Divines. But how the juſtice and goodneſs of Pndence to- wards mankind can be vindicated, if no regard be had to indi viduals, is hard to ſee. He himſelf obſerves, that“ juſtice re-

quires that puniſhments ſhould be meaſured out in various

*¹degrees and meaſures according to the various circumſtances ** Of partieular caſes, and in propor tion to them r.“ And again he repeats it, that“ juſtice requires that rewards and puniſh- „ ments fhould be meaſured out in every Pard ular caſe, in

«proportion to the merit and demerit of each indiui idual’² How then can he Preene to vindicate the juſtice of proridence e in this preſent ſtate, when he makes it eſſential to juſtice that regard ſhould be 31 to the caſe of individuals, and yet ſirne that providence doth not conſider men individually at all, only collectively?

And as his ſcheme is abſurd and inconſiſtent with itſelf, ſo it is attrended with the moſt pernicious conſequences, which ought to create a horror of it in every well-diſpoſed mind. If providence hath no regard to individuals, there can be no ſenſe of the divine favour for good actions, no fear of the divine dilſ- pleaſure for evil ones; and, as will appear to be his Lordſhip's ſentiment, no future account to be apprehended. Thus every man is left to do what is right in his own eyes without the dread

2 Vol. iv. p. 228. r Vol. v. p. 494. 3 Ibid. p. 495- Vor. f. E e ok