LETTER V. On Political EVILS. SIR, A CCORDING to my proposed Plan there ftill remain two forts of Evils to be accounted for, Political and Religious; under which heads,' (if you are not already tired with so abftruse and unentertaining a correspondence) I fhall endeavour to fhew you, that it is utterly impoffible, even for Omnipotence itself, to give a perfect Government, or a perfect Religion to an imperfect Creature; and therefore, that the numberless imperfections inherent in all human Governments and Religions, are not imputable to God, God, nor any defect of power, wifsdom, or goodness in Him; but only to the inferiority of Man's ftation in the Universe, which neceffarily expofes him to Natural and Moral Evils, and muft, for the fame Reason, to Political and Religious; which are indeed but the Confequences of the other. Superior Beings may probably form to themselves, or receive from their Creator, Government without Tyranny or Corruption, and Religions without Delusions or Abfurdities; but Man cannot: God indeed may remove him into so exalted a Society; but whilft he continues to be a Man, he must be subject to innumerable Evils; amongst which those I call Political and Religious are far from being the least. But as these two kinds of Evils are very different, they will require different con |