the Publick; and for the better Service of the Publick, that they should part with their own Government and Security as a Tribe, by inhabiting together in one Province, and be feparated throughout all the Tribes of Ifrael, under the Government, and fubject to the Power of that Tribe where they had their Habitation.

Now fo much of the Tithes, as the Levites thus purchased for a valuable Confideration, ought to be accounted their own proper Estate, as much as an Annuity paid by a Government for a Sum of Money advanced by the Annuitants for the Service of the Publick. Let us just observe what this may reasonably

amount to.

The Levites were a thirteenth Tribe ; to make the Computation lefs exceptionable, let their Proportion of Land be estimated at a fifteenth. Then in every hundred Pounds a Year Produce, the Levites Property would have been fix Pounds thirteen Shillings near. Now the Tenth of one hundred Pounds a Year amounting to ten Pounds, the Levites really received no more above their own Property, as one of the Tribes of Ifrael, than three Pounds feven Shillings, or not three and a half per Cent.

But there are other Confiderations of confiderable Confequence, as I apprehend, in this Computation.

I

The

1

The Levites in this Exchange of a real Estate for an Annuity, gave up Poffeffion, and yielded away all the Advantages of perfonal Property, and independent Government. They trufted folely to the national Faith, for the secure Payment of their Annuity; they divested themselves of all Power of Re-entry upon Non-payment, and ran the hazard of the Infolvency of any Tribe, or any Part of the Country, either by ill Hufbandry or accidental Damages, by reafon of Contentions at Home, or Invafions from Abroad; fo that no Misfortune could befall either the Hebrew Nation, or any one of the Tribes, but the Levites Annuity muft feel it, and suffer a Deficiency by it.

the

Further it may be observed, how little to the purpose the Moral Philofopher has diftinguifhed between an annual Rent and an annual Produce. For the Property given by the Levites to the Publick, and actually dif tributed the other Tribes, gave up among annual Produce, not an annual Rent only; and had the Levites kept their Property in their own Poffeffion, they would have received not one Rent only, but the whole three Rents. It is true, then they must have kept their Farms in their own Hands, and have been employ'd in Hufbandry with the reft of their Neighbours, which now others were to do for them; but what then? Was it an unequal Convention, that the Nation should do

for

for the Levites their Work of Hufbandry, when the Levites were to do for the whole Nation all the Services of the Sanctuary, and every where to affift the Administration of Juftice, by their Study and Knowledge of the Law? It was highly neceffary fome Perfons should be appointed to these Services, when the Levites were appointed to them, and freed all others of the Nation from them. It was most equitable, that the Nation fhould free the Levites in their Turn from.the Care of Husbandry, that they might be able to do the national Services for which they were appointed.

Before we take Leave of this Part of the Hebrew Conftitution, let us view it in one Light which is not very common, though it feems obvious and plain enough.

too much

vites.

The Rank of the Priefts and Levites, as Care to Minifters of Religion, as the Men of beft prevent Understanding and Knowledge in the Laws, Power in as of great Intereft in the Nation, and Influ- the Leence in the Administration of Juftice, might have proved too great a Balance of Power in one Tribe, if they had retain'd with thefe Advantages a confiderable Property in Land, and an united independant Government in themselves, as one of the Tribes of Ifrael, according to the Model of the other Tribes or Provinces.

I cannot but look upon it as a wife Intention, and an original Defign in the Conftitution,

stitution, appointed with great political Skill to cut off all poffible Abufe of fuch Power and Influence, as their Character might give them. By these Means they were deprived of all Power to hurt the Liberty of the other Tribes, or any ways endanger the Conftitution by any ambitious Views or Projects: for not only all the Eftates of the Levites, but their Persons too, were given into the Hands of the other Tribes, as fo many Hoftages, and as a Security for their good Behaviour. They were so separated from one another, that they could no Way mutually affift each other in any ambitious Defign. They were fo difperfed among the other Tribes, that it was absolutely in their Power, upon any national Quarrel, or even on a Sufpicion of any ill Defigns of the Levites, to put a Stop to their whole Livelihood, and feize on all their Perfons at once. You may hence perceive, that whatever Power or Influence the Conftitution gave the Levites to do good, the fameConftitution carefully provided to put it out of their Power to do ill, either to disturb the Peace or endanger the Liberties of their Country.

CHAP,

CHA P. VII.

Union of the Tribes, or general Government of the HEBREW Nation.

HE Polity of the Hebrew Government

TH

we have seen fettled, each of the Tribes of Ifrael in their Lots or Portions of the Holy Land, as fo many diftinct Provinces; each Province having its particular Government or Scepter, and ordering its own Affairs by its own Princes, Heads of Families, Elders and Courts. The Tribe of Levi had a particular Conftitution, different from all the reft, as it was defigned for different Services of the Sanctuary and the Law; but the Wisdom of this Conftitution did not only provide for the good Government of each Tribe within itself, it took care alfo to provide for the common Welfare of the whole Nation, as it was to be one Kingdom of Jehovah, to unite their Counfels, their whole Strength and Power, for the common Defence and Profperity of the whole.

But wherein this Union of the Tribes into one Body did confift, is not commonly fo well understood as one would wish, who is defirous to fee the true Plan of this Govern

ment,