Questions of Fact. But in all fuch Questions general and abftract Reasonings can have no place, where the Facts themselves are naturally and morally poffible, as every one may perceive they are in this cafe. If the fupreme Governor of the World has a Right to give fuch Commiffion, if it is not unjust to use the Hands of Men, inftead of a Plague or Fire from Heaven, to punish the Wickedness of Men, the only Question that can remain in fuch a cafe is this, Whether in fact the Hebrew Nation did really receive fuch a Commiffion from Jehovah, or no? Thus far then the whole will reft upon the Evidence of the Mofaic Revelation; and there I fhall leave it, it not being the Design of this Differtation to enter into an Argument, in which many, as I apprehend, have already given fo full Satisfaction.

CHA P. II.

Plan of the HEBREW Government.

HAV

AVING premifed the principal Views and Intentions of erecting the Hebrew Government, and of its civil Polity, we may proceed to confider the Government itself.

The Hebrews were intended to be a Nation, which should preferve the Knowledge and Worship of the one true God, in oppofition to all Idolatry; and therefore to be a

distinct

distinst Kingdom, feparate from the idolatrous Nations every where about it.

This was to be a Government formed for the Peace and Profperity of the Subjects of it, to have these Bleffings fecured by a particular Protection of Jehovah their God and their King, they keeping to the Conftitution of his Government, and in Obedience to his Laws. It was a Government defign'd to con tinue for many hundred Years, the Scepter was not to depart from Judah, nor a Lawgiver from between his Feet, till Shiloh came. They were to enjoy their Religion and their own Polity, till a better Conftitution should take Place in the Kingdom of Meffiah: This was then to be an Establishment for above fourteen hundred Years.

The Wisdom of this Policy you perceive, is principally to be feen in two Provifions: The firft for the Preservation of the Peace, Profperity, and Power of the Hebrews, as a diftinct Nation, from all Invasions of foreign Nations, and from all Ambition of great Men, or popular Sedition among themselves to deftroy either. The other was to provide for the Prefervation of the true Religion, and to keep out Idolatry, that it might not infect this People, as it had already all the other Nations of the World.

The wife Provifion made for both these Ends will beft appear by confidering the true Form of this Government, as God appointed it by his Servant Mofes. This alone is the

true

true Plan of it, which must be carefully diftinguifh'd from all Deviations from it, or Corruptions of it, whether under the Judges, the Kings, or the Macchabees; fo that whatfoever may be found among any Conftitutions, or in any Acts of the Adminiftration in thofe times, that may juftly be blamed or cenfured, they are folely to bear the blame: An original Conftitution, different from them, will be altogether free from it.

Property is the natural Foundation of Power, and fo of Authority; hence the natural Foundation of every Government is laid in the Diftribution of the Lands or Territory belonging to it, to the feveral Members of it. If the Prince is Proprietor of the Lands, as in fome Eastern Governments, fuch Prince will be abfolute; for all who hold the Lands, holding them of the Prince; and enjoying them at his Will and Pleasure,are fo fubject to his Will, that they are in a condition of Slaves, not of free Subjects. If the Property is divided among a few Men, the rest holding of them, and under them as Vaffals, the Power and Authority of Government will be in the hands of thofe few Men, as a Nobility, whatever Authority may be lodged in the hands of one or more Perfons, for the fake of Unity in Counfel and Action; but if the Property be generally divided near equally among all the Members of the Society, the true Power and Authority of fuch Government will naturally be in all the MemD

bers

ritory.

bers of that Society, whatever Form of Union they may have, for the better Direction of the whole as a political Body.

CHA P. III.

Of the HEBREW Territory, and
Diftribution of it.

THE Territory, in which this Government

of the Hebrew Nation was to be settled, lay as it were between the great Empires of Egypt, Allyria, and Babylon; though more immediately bounded by fome fmaller Nations in Syria and Arabia, of lefs Power and Extent of Dominion.

The Extent of this Country, and its ConExtent of the He- tents in Acres, have been very differently debrew Ter-fcribed by Authors. I would avoid all geographical Niceties concerning the Situation of Places, mentioned in the more ancient History, as of little ufe; yet it will be neceffary, I think, to give a general Account of the Extent of the Hebrew Territory, to obviate an Error which has mifled fome accurate Authors into a Miftake of great Confequence. Hecatæus in Jofephus, makes the Territory of Judea to contain only three Millions of Acres, which feems a fmall Provifion of Land for the whole Number of Ifraelites, who were to be settled

in it.

Jofephus contra Apion. c. 1. p. m. 1049.

Upon

Upon this Computation Mr. Harrington * obferves, "The Land of Canaan would "have afforded to this Commonwealth a "Root or Balance, confifting of three "Millions of Acres; which, reckoning the "whole People in the twelve Tribes at fix "hundred and two thoufand (which is more "than in the latter Poll they came to) would "have afforded unto every Man four Acres, "with a handsome Remainder, for the Prin"ces of Tribes, Heads of Families, Levitical "Cities, and other publick Uses; four Acres "to a Man, he obferves, may feem but a "fmall Lot; but to leffen the Difficulty, he

cr

adds, yet the Roman People under Ro"mulus, and long after, had but two." But I think this Difficulty will be much better anfwer'd by obferving, that Hecataus, who lived under Ptolemy Lagus, firft King of Egypt, on the Divifion of Alexander's Empire among his Captains, very likely gave an account of that part of Judea only, which the Jews inhabited at that time by Allowance of Alexander's Generals, and the King of Egypt; and when ten of the Tribes were loft in Captivity, and many of the Jews were fettled in other Places, and when the Samaritans were actually poffefs'd of a great Portion of the ancient Hebrew Inheritance. However it be, this Computation of Hecatæus, which fo many learned Men have follow'd, cannot be a true Account of the TerD 2 ritory, Harrington's Commonwealth of Ifrael, 1. 1. § 12.