FAK

not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto bim fall the gathering of the people be. These Marks they, mistaking the Nature of CHRIST's Kingdom, thought suited exactly with Herod; because he was a Stranger, and withal, a + Great and flourishing Prince.

This Opinion, Herod judg'd it proper for him to encourage, because it fo manifestly tended to support his Power and Grandeur: And for this Reason it was, that we find him so troubled, when the Mat. ü.

wife men came from the East to Jerusalem, ', &c. * to worship Him that was just then born

king of the Jews: and that he could act so exceeding inhuman a Tragedy, as to order all the Children, under two Years old, to be put to Death, in and about Betblebem.

And, upon the fame Account, we find * the Herodians, afterwards, so busy and

follicitous in joining with the Rest of our
Lord's invidious Enemies. No sooner
did he begin to work Miracles, and make

† He was firnamed, The Great.

Himself

6.

13.

Mark

Himself known by his heavenly Doctrine, Mark. iii. but we find, The Pharisees went forth, and

Atraitway, with the Herodians, took counsel

against Him, how they might defroyi bim. Mark xii. Again; The Pharisees and the Herodians,

are sent to him, to catch him in bis words.

Therefore, our LORD charges his Diseiviii. 15. ples, to beware, not only of the leaven of

the Pharisees, but of Herod also ; that is, of the Herodians. This is all we find necessary to be observ’d, in relation to the Affairs of Religion, among the People of Ifrael. USRO243

ac

CHA P. VIII. SECT. I.' The Civil Government.

E come, next, to discourse of their

Civil Government. Having, cording to our blessed LORD's Direction, render'd unto God, the Things which are God's; that is, having gone through all those, Particulars, which more immediately relate...to spiritual Matters, and divine Worship; we shall now endeavour to ren

der

e der unto Cæfar, the Things which are Cæsar'sg ito give such Account of the Tem

poral Administration of the Ifraelites, as El the Holy Scriptures furnish us with.

And this we shall do, by inquiring after # and laying together what may be found i relating to these three Heads, Councils, Ju31 dicatures, and Magiftrates. The Good and Happiness of all Nations, arises and grows from their respective Councils; from such

wholfom and beneficial Laws, as the wiseft • Heads among them are, from Time to

Time, able to devise: And these again, must be defended and maintain'd by the regular Adminiftration of Justice.

But because, neither Councils can be fummon'd and adjourn'd, upon Occasion ; nor Laws, when made, be put in Force and Execution, so well, without à fufficient Power being delegated by Commisfion and Trust to some Person, under whom others again should be subordinate, for the same Intents and Purposes; Therefore these are what we may call Magistratës: And whom, after we have treated of the other two Branches, we thall confider in their proper Place.

SECT.

Z

S E C T. . II.

Their COUNCIL S. By Councils we are to understand, any of those authoriz’d Meetings, in which Things appertaining to the Good and Wel fare of the State are propos’d, debated, and finally enacted into Laws. Such as Matters relating to Peace and War; encouraging and regulating Trade į appointing Magistrates, as often as Occasion requires; and levying such Supplies as shall be judg’d necessary for the general Support, Defense, and Honour of the Nation.

But as chele Councils, in most well-regulated Governments, are of two kinds; one public and general,consisting of a Convention of the whole collective Body of the People; the other private and separate, made up of a certain number of select Persons, whom either their Age, or extraordinary natural Parts have qualified for Business; so it was among the Jews. Their Councils were, either The Congregation ; a promiscuous Meeting of all their Tribes come together in one place; or, tbe Senate

com

cvii. 32.

compos'd of a segregate Body of grave I experienc'd Elders.

The Psalmist makes mention of both "L

these Councils; when, exciting his Councho trymen to a high Pitch of Devotion to the

i LORD for his great Goodness, he says ; da Let them exalt Him also in the congregation Plalm Here you of the people, and praise Him in the assem

bly of the elders. Again; I will praise the Psalm LORD with

my whole beart, in the asembly cxi. 1. is of the upright, and in the congregation.

These two sorts of Councils, under the same
Distinction, he speaks of in several Places:
whence we may conclude there were no
other: For, if there had, it is not likely
that he would have fail'd taking fome
notice of them also. Of these two there-
fore we shall proceed to the Confideration.
And first, of the Congregation.

SECT. III.
The CONGREGATION.
The Nature of their Government, as
was observ'd before, being threefold; as it
consisted, first, of that which subsisted
among the whole twelve Tribes in Gene-
ral; fecondly, of that which related to each
A a

Tribe,