to be divided among the Children of Ifrael,took no more for his own Inheritance, than they were willing to fpare him, after the Land had been divided among the Tribes, ch.xix. 49. and at laft, as Mofes had done, he appeals to their own Experience, and to their very Senfes, for the Truth of all the Wonders and Deliverances, and the mighty Works which God H had wrought amongst them, chap. xxiv.

2

After the Death of Joshua, God raifed up Judges out of feveral Families and Tribes, with an immediate and extraordinary Commiffion to govern and protect his People: fo that there could be no private Ends, or politick Designs carry'd on, under the pretence of a Divine Commiffion. But upon their Difobedience and C Idolatries, they were, from time to time, punished with Slaughter and Captivity; and, upon their Repentance, were as conftantly delivered; Judges being purposely raised up to be Conquerors and Deliverers, and never failing of fuccefs.

But befides thefe who were impowered by God, upon extraordinary Occafions, they had other Judges, or Chief Magiftrates, to adminifter Juftice, and to prefide over the Publick Affairs, for the welfare of the People: fuch were Eli and Samuel. Eli was a great Example, how much Fondness, and Natural Affection, may prevail over good and wife Men: but he was more afflicted to hear that the Ark of God was taken, than at the death of both his Sons;

that

that gave him his mortal Wound, and he could not out-live the Hearing it, I Sam. iv. 18. Samuel's Sons were wicked, as well as Eli's, and he doth not conceal their faults, but plainly fays, That they turned afide after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment, chap. viii. 3. but he appeals to the whole People for his own Integrity, who folemnly declare him free from any Oppreffion or Injustice. He refigned the Government, though he had the Power in his hands to appoint two Kings fucceffively, and by Gods Commandment raised both Saul and David qut of their obfcu rity to a Throne. Samuel fays plainly, That when the Elders of Ifrael came to him to ask a King, the thing difpleafed him, 1 Sam. viii. 6. and he who could make Two Kings of Two different Tribes, and of no Interest in their refpective Tribes, might as well have made himself King, if he had acted upon Humane Confiderations, and by Humane Power and Means. The Divine Power therefore was visible in the Government of the Children of Ifrael, from the time of Mofes and Joshua to Saul; for they were conftantly governed by Perfons of God's appointment; their Government was a Theocracy, being adminiftred by God's immediate Direction, the Lord their God was their King, 1 Sam. xii. 12.

I

CHAP.

CHAP. VIII.

Of the People of Ifrael, under their Kings.

A

Fter a ftanding Regal Government was fetled among the People of Ifrael, they were either happy or miserable at home, and either a Defeat or Victory attended their Are mies abroad, as they proved obedient or difobedient to the Law of Mofes, and to the Word of the Lord, delivered by his Prophets. Upon the Revolt of the Ten Tribes,when Two Tribes only remained in the obedience of Rehoboam, and in the true way of Worship, this had been the time, (as already has been faid) if there had been any Impofture hitherto carried on, to discover it; for they had all the Temptation, and all the Opportunity to do it, that could poffibly be given. But after the Division of the Ten Tribes, Jeroboam durft not so much as attempt to draw them off from an acknowledgment of the Divine Authority of that Law by which they were obliged to go up to Jerufalem to facrifice, though he fuaded them to change the Place of their Wor fhip, and to go no longer up thither. And God had his Prophets in Ifrael, who were as zealous for the Law, as the Prophets of Judah; for in both Kingdoms they had ftill Prophets to admonish them, and to direct them in all Matters of great importance. Tho' the Urim and

Thummim,

Thammim, and the Shechina, were confined to the Aaronical Priesthood, and the Ark of the Teftament; yet the other kinds of Prophecy were vouchfafed to Ifrael,as well as Judah: and the Captivity both of Judah and Ifrael by the Affyrians, and the Deliverance of the Jews out of it, befell them according to exprefs Prophecies; and both during the Captivity, and at their Return, they had Daniel, Zechariah, Malachi, and other Prophets amongst them; and for fo many Ages, from their first coming out of Egypt, the whole People were made continually Witneffes of the manifest Power and Prefence of God amongst them. This * will be evident, by making fome Obfervations concerning the Prophets and their Writings, and concerning their Prophecies and Miracles.

CHAP. IX.

Of the Prophets, and their Writings.

T

'He kinds of Prophecy among the Jews, were, (1) The Shechina. (2.) The Urim and Thummim. (3.) Revelation by Visions and Dreams, or by Inspiration; for I shall not here diftinguish thefe ways of Revelation, to confider them apart. And when these kinds of Prophecy ceafed under the Second Temple, the Bath Kol, or Voic from Heaven, was the only way of Revelation: but of this there is little or nothing certain to be relyed upon.

1. The Shechina, was the fitting, or dwelling of God between the Cherubims, on the MercySeat or Cover of the Ark, Pfal. lxxxi. 1. & axcix. 1. from whence he gave out his Answers by an Articulate Voice, Exod. XXV. 22. & O xxix. 42. Num. vii. 89.

Ings

2. The Urim and Thummim upon the Breastan plate of the High-Priest, Exod. xxviii. 30. was another ftanding Oracle, to be consulted upon mall great occafions, Num.xxvii.21. 1 Sam.xxviii.6. mixxiii.9.xxx.7. Ezra ii. 63. and the Answers were returned by a visible fignification of the Divine We Will and this Oracle was not only venerable amongst the Jews, but was famous amongst the Lio Heathen (as Jofephus affures us) for its infallible Anfwers. Mr. Mede (x) thinks Urim and Thum- (x)Mede's de mim to have been in ufe among the Patriarchs, Difcourfe before the Law was given; because the making of it is not spoken of amongst the other things of the Ephod. The common opinion is, that this Oracle was delivered by the fhining of fuch Letters of the Tribes Names,engraven on the Prieft's Breaft-plate, as exprefs'd the Anfwer: but the fame learned Author thinks, that the Urim and the Thummim were distinct Oracles; the Thummim fhewing when their Sacrifices were accepted; and the Urim answering fuch Questions as were propofed upon any important occafion.

S

3. Revelations by Vifions and Dreams, or by Infpiration, were the Revelations which properly denominated thofe,to whom they were madeProphets. For the Prophets were Perfons fent

by

35.