per

Profperity of their Government. And what could be more adviseable than to begin with Amalek? Was it unbecoming a Prophet to put Saul in mind of a folemn Law and petual Edict of Jehovah, to root out Amalek? Was it unbecoming Samuel as a Counfellor, to advise Saul to begin with an ancient, dangerous and inveterate Enemy, the more dangerous as they were ready to attack the Hebrews behind, if ever they should be put to defend themfelves against any new Attempts of the Philiftines, a rich, powerful and formidable People, as Saul, notwithstanding he Subjection of the Amalekites, foon found with the Lofs of his Life?

Where now is it evident in this Hiftory, that (as our Author obferves) this was a Plot laid by the Prophet for the King's Deftruction? The Crimes of Amalek, the Sentence pronounced against Amalek, the monumental Pillar to keep it in perpetual Remembrance, were all as old as the Days of Mofes, above three hundred Years before Samuel or Saul, either the Prophet or the King were born. But it may be the Plot 'did not lie in this, that Saul was exhorted to make War with Amalek, because the Lord had faid, I will have War with Amalek from Generation to Generation, or till that evil Generation was rooted out. Samuel's Plot, it fhould feem, rather lay in this, that he had ordered all the Spoil or Booty should be destroyed, and not given to the Army. For,

For, fays our Author, "if he (Saul) had "not given the Soldiers the Booty or Plun"der of the conquered Country, the whole

c

Army would have mutinied and deserted "fince this is what they had never been "denied in all their Wars, and then the King must have fallen a Sacrifice to the disappointed and enraged Soldiery, which was doubtless what the Prophet intended." Amazing Confidence! so positive in afferting what is fo groundless, and fo false.

What! had the Army never been denied the Booty in all their Wars? Who, that had ever read the Crime or Punishment of Achan, but would blush at afferting what is fo evidently falfe, unless every thing must be right with a Moral Philofopher, if it may serve for Matter of Accufation against a Prophet.

At the Siege of Jericho, the City was put under an Anathema or Curfe, almost in the fame Words as Samuel ufes concerning Amalek, and the City shall be accurfed, Jof. vi.17. it and all that are therein, to the Lord. This military Anathema or Curfe was the Hebrew Phrafe for military Execution; the Effects of which are thus explained, And they utterly deftroyed all that was in the City, both Man and Woman, young and old, and Ox, and Sheep, and Afs, with the Edge of the Sword.

21.

But Achan committed a Trespass in the Jof.vii.21. accursed thing; for he faw among the Spoils a goodly Babylonifh Garment and two hundred Shekels of Silver, and a Wedge of Gold of fifty Shekels weight, and he coveted and took them: For this Crime he was condemned to Death, all 1/rael ftoned him with Stones, and his Memory was afterwards mentioned with Ignominy as the Troubler of Ifrael.

Was it then doubtless, the Intention of Samuel to raife a Mutiny in the Army against Saul for denying the Spoils, which was what they had never been denied in all their Wars; doubtless, an old Prophet and Judge in Ifrael could not intend any fuch thing; for he could not, indeed hardly any one Ifraelite could be ignorant of the direct contrary, if only from the exemplary Punishment of Achan.

The Difobedience of Saul in this Cafe, was really a very aggravated Fault. It was not only affuming to himself a difpenfing Power, but it was a direct Violation of the Original Laws of Jehovah; which, we have already feen, were facred and unalterable by the Conftitution.

Now to affume and exercife a Power of difpenfing with and fufpending of Laws, was justly understood by our Legiflature, as a principal Evidence, that the late King James II. did endeavour to fubvert and ex

tirpate

tirpate the Laws* and Liberties of this Kingdom. This fair Representation of the Cafe, may fhew how unfairly the Conduct of the Prophet Samuel is reflected upon, not only without any Foundation of Truth, but even against the plaineft Evidence of Truth to the contrary.

The Cafe of the Prophets in Ahab's Cafe of the Time, is full out as plain. I fhall fay noProphets in the Days thing of the Character or Authority of the of Ahab. Prophets, which, befides that the Confideration of them is in an abler Hand, is not very material to the Question before me. I am only to fhew how the foregoing Principles of the Hebrew Civil Government will entirely remove all thofe Objections arifing from this Part of the Hebrew History, fo far as the Revelation of Mofes can be concerned in it. For it is to be observed, that no Man's private Behaviour, tho' bred in the Schools of the Prophets, can be any juft Reflection, either on thofe Schools, or their Inftitutions; leaft of all, on the Original Laws and Constitutions of Mofes. Who was ever fo unreasonable, as to make the private Misbehaviour of Perfons bred in any Univerfities, whether Fellows of Colleges, or Heads of Houses, a Reflection on Nurseries of Learning? Who ever inferred from thence that Precepts of Virtue were not taught in them,

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*Stat. I. Wm. and Mary, Sef, ii. c. 2. + Leland,

them, because some of their Scholars proved vicious, notwithstanding their Education.

If then four hundred Prophets, or four times as many Perfons, educated or living in the Colleges of Prophets, should think it for their Intereft to court King Ahab and Queen Jezabel, and prophefy fmooth Things, fuch as fhould please them, however falfe; what is this to Mofes and his Revelation, to the Character and Authority of true and faithful Prophets? Micajah, a true Prophet, calls thefe four hundred Ahab's Prophets, not the Kings Lord's. Now therefore the Lord hath put a lying Spirit in the Mouth of all these thy Prophets, and the Lord hath spoken Evil concerning thee. Thefe Court Prophets, who gave themselves up to a Spirit of Falfhood to please the King, are yet by our Author fhrewdly fuppofed" to have con

xxii. 23.

27.

spired together to fend King Ahab up to "Ramoth Gilead, that he might there fall " in Battle; which took effect, and the

King was flain, though they had all affured "him in the Name of the Lord, that he "fhould gain the Victory and return in "Peace*." True, all Ahab's own Prophets had given him fuch Affurance; but Micajab, the true Prophet of the Lord, had affured him of the contrary; for which Freedom the King committed him to Prison, and ordered him to be fed with the Bread and Water of Affliction. You fee thus plainly, neither

* Moral Philof. I. 315.