1.The contents of the whole digression we are examining,were distributed,we may remember,at the outset of this Essay,into five divisions.The first,relative to the manner in which Government in general was formed,has already been examined in the preceding chapter.The next,relative to the different species or forms it may assume,comes now to be considered.
2.The first object that strikes us in this division of our subject is the theological flourish it sets out with.In God may be said,though in a peculiar sense,to be our Author's strength.In theology he has found a not unfrequent source,of ornament to divert us,of authority to overawe us,from sounding into the shallowness of his doctrines.(56)3.That governors,of some sort or other,we must have,is what he has been shewing in the manner we have seen in the last chapter.Now for endowments to qualify them for the exercise of their function.These endowments then,as if it were to make them shew the brighter,and to keep them,as much as possible,from being soiled by the rough hands of impertinent speculators,he has chosen should be of aethereal texture,and has fetched them from the clouds.
`All mankind',(57)he says,`will agree that government should be reposed in such persons in whom those qualities are most likely to be found,the perfection of which are among the attributes of Him who is emphatically styled the Supreme Being:the three great requisites,I mean,of wisdom,of goodness,and of power.'
But let us see the whole passage as it stands 4.`But as all the members of Society',(meaning natural Society)`are naturally EQUAL,'(i.e.,I suppose,with respect to political power,of which none of them as yet have any)`it may be asked,'(continues he)in whose hands are the reins of government to be intrusted?To this the general answer is easy;but the application of it to particular cases,has occasioned one half of those mischiefs which are apt to proceed from misguided political zeal.In general,all mankind will agree that government should be reposed in such persons in whom those qualities are most likely to be found,the perfection of which are among the attributes of Him who is emphatically styled the Supreme Being;the three grand requisites,I mean,of wisdom,goodness,and of power:wisdom,to discern the real interest of the community;goodness,to endeavour always to pursue that real interest;and strength or power,to carry this knowledge and intention into action.These are the natural foundations of sovereignty,and these are the requisites that ought to be found in every well-constituted frame of government.