Let. 24. Lord BorINGBROKE. 4¹9

that mankind in general would be far more wicked and diſſolute than they are. It is his Lordſhip's obſervation, that“ amidſt ce thie contingencies of human affairs the odds will always be «« on the fide of appetite— Which reaſon cannot quite ſubdue «« in the Ktrongeſt minds, and by which ſhe is per petually ſub- c dued in the weakeſt u.“ And äccordingly the ableſt politici- ans have thought the aids of religion, which eſpecially includes a regard to providence as extending to individuals, abſolutely neceſſary for ſtrengthening the bands of civil government.

I chall now confider the arguments Lord Bolingbroke hath offered in ſupport of his ſcheme, and the objections he hath ad- vanced againſt the doctrine of a particular providence.

He frequently intimates, that the doctrine of a particular pro- vidence is needleſs;“ fince the ordinary courſe of things pre- 4 ſerved and conducted by a general providence is ſufficlent to « confirm what the law of nature and reaſon teaches us“*.“ But it appears from what hath been already obſerved, that the doctrine of a general providence, as he underſtands it, i. æ. a providence that has no regard to individuals at all, to their actions, or to the events that befall them, is far from being ſut- ficient to the purpoſes of religion and virtue, or of human ſo⸗ cieties: that it neither furniſheth proper comfort and ſupports for the encouragement of good men, nor is ſufficient to fſtrike terror into bad men, and to be a reſtraint to vice and wicked- neſs. It hath alſo been fhewn, that the notion of a general providence, as excluding all regard to individuals, and to their actions and concernments, cannot be ſupported, nor made to conſiſt with reaſon or with itſelf. And whereas it is repreſentes as a degrading the divine Majeſty, to ſuppoſe him to concern himſelf about what relates to ſuch inconſiderable beings, as are the individuals of the human race, this objection, though var- niſhed over with a pretence of conſulting God's honour, doth at the bottom argue mean and unworchy notions of him. It is in effect a judging of God by our own imperfections. Our views are narrow and limited, and cannot take in many things at once, nor attend to ſmaller matters without neglecting things of greater conſequence. But it is otherwiſe with a being of in- finite perfection, who is intimately preſent to every part of this vaſt univerſe, and knoweth and taketh care of all things at once, with the ſame eaſe as if he had only one ſingle thing to at- tend to. He is capable of exerciſing a moſt wiſe providential

gare towards all his creatures in a Way ſuited to their ſeveral na-

u Vol. v. p. 479. x Ibid. p. 404.

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