XX, I,

in Mizpeh. This was a Place held in great Veneration, in thofe Days. Here it was, probably, that he made his famous Vow; and hither these General Congrégations were most commonly affembled, to ask Counfel of the LORD, before they attempted any Enterprize of Confequence. When the impious and rebellious Obftinacy of the Benjamites came to be known, All the children Judges of Ifrael went out, and the congregation was gathered together, as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, unto the LORD in Mizpeh. And the chief of all the people, even of all the tribes of Ifrael, prefented themfelves in the affembly of the people of God. So Samuel fays, Gather all Ifrael to Mizpeh, and I will pray vii. 5. for you to the LORD. For, though his house was in Ramah, it is faid, be judged the children of Ifrael in Mizpeh, likewife. He took it in circuit year by year; and there held the Great National Congregations.

i Sam.

1 ..

The Matters of Weight and Importance which they fometimes affembled together to tranfact, were, either to choose, their Chief, Judge, or King; or to determine whether they should begin a War, with

any

viii. 22.

X. 17.

1 any other People. Thus, The men of Judges Ifrael (in a general congregation) faid unto Gideon, Rule over us; both thou and thy fun, and thy fon's fon alfo. And thus Samuel, called the people together unto the LORD in! Sam. Mizpeh, in order to choose a King. And when Saul was declar'd to be the Perfon, All the people shouted and faid, God fave the King And in the three foregoing Inftances that we have seen of their affembling together to make Supplication to the LORD, their Bufinefs was likewise, partly, to confult about going to War; first, with the Ammonites; fecondly, with the Benjamites; and thirdly, with the Philistines.

·As to the fecond Sort of thefe Congregations, which were held by each Tribe, feparately; though we have no direct Inftitution of them, nor find them exprefly mention'd; yet, by Inference, it plainly appears there were fuch; Because the People of every Tribe, had Chiefs belonging to them, who could convene them, upon Occafion: And, it is very plain, that they did assemble in Council, hold Judiciary Courts, and determine upon War and Peace. Thus, we read, that, upon dividing

A a 4

dividing the Land of Canaan, by Lot, as Josh. xix. mong the Twelve Tribes, The coaft of the children of Dan went out too little for them:

47.

therefore the children of Dan went up to fight

- against Lefhem, and took it,and Smote it with

V

m

the edge of the fword, and poffeffed it, and dwelt therein, and called Lethem, Dan; after the name of Dan their father. And, that the E phraimites, relenting their not being invited by Jephthah into the War against the AmJudges monites, gathered themselves together, in or der to call him to an Account for il

xii, I.

The fame Inference may be made was to their Cities; which were, unquestionably govern'd by a Body Corporate, or Comman Council, acting under one Chiefs or Head, We have exprefs Mention of that of Je rufalem; where we are told that King z Chron. Hezekiah had taken counfel, and his princes, Xxx. 2. and all the congregation in Jerufalem, to keep the paffover in the fecond month. Of this,

XXX.

notice was sent out into the Country round Ib. 12. about, and, it is faid, in Judah, the band of God was to give them one heart, to do the commandment of the king and of the princes. Which fhews, that the Men of that Tribe were strangers to the Business, till it was

thus

thus communicated to them; those of them that were not Inhabitants of Jerus falem. tot 91111s oot bra moar mot & marblido

It was otherwife, at the Dedication of the Temple by Solomon: He affembled, the Kings elders of Ifrael, and all the beads of the viii. 1. tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Ifrael; and all the men of Ifrael, affembled themselves unto king Solomon, Again Solomon flood before the altar of the Ib. 22. LORD, in the prefence of all the congregation of Ifrael. By which, it is plain, the Congregation of Jerufalem, and the Congregation of all Ifrael, were distinct.

xxvii. 15,

Befides, we are not ignorant, what a Figure thefe Popular Councils made in our Saviour's Time: And how inftrumental they were, in procuring Him, at the Inftigation of the Chief-Priefts and Elders, to be crucified. The Governor, being wont Mat. to release unto the people at that feast, a &c. prifoner, whom they would; Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate faid unto them, &c. So, in another Gofpel; Pilate, Luke when he had called together, the Chief- xxiii. 13. ·Priefts, and the rulers, and the people, faid unto them, &c. They were to confider of

the Matter, and vote whom they would have releas'd. And then, when they chose Barabbas, and rejected CHRIST; we are told; Pilate took water, and washed his hands before them, faying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person, see ye to it. Then anfwered all the people and faid; His blood be on us, and on our children.

tod

The ELDERS.

We fhall inquire next into the Councils of the Elders; which probably, in like manner as the Congregations, were threefold; One, belonging to all the Tribes in General; another, to every particular Tribe; and a third to each distinct City. Though we do not meet with any direct Instances of the fecond; but, many of the firft and third.

Those Elders, which compos'd the Senate belonging to all the Tribes in General, were appointed originally by God Numb. himself. The LORD faid unto Mofes, Gather unto me feventy men of the elders of Ifrael; whom thou knoweft to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and they

xi: 26.

fball