Tribes of Ifrael; even by all fuch as fet their Hearts to feek the LORD, and to worship the God of their Fathers. By which means, the Kingdom of Judah was confiderably strengthen'd; and enabled, upon Occafion, to defend itfelf against, and to cope with, that of Ifrael. And thus they went on, each through the Reigns of about twenty Kings fucceffively; until, firft the People of Ifrael, were carried away Captive by Shalmanefer King of AfSyria, and put in Halab and Habor by the River of Gozan, and in the Cities of the Medes; from whence they never return'd: And, about two hundred Years after, the People of Judah with Zedekiah their King, their City and Temple being destroy'd, were carried away Captive, to Babylon, by Nebuchadnezzar.

SECT. V.

The Rife of the SAMARITANS. AFTER the King of Affyria had carried away the People of Ifrael, in their ftead he brought Men from Babylon, and from Cutbah, and from Ava, and from Hamath,

C 4

Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and plac'd them in the Cities of Samaria; a mongril People made up of various Nations, and following as great a Variety in their religious Worship: Partly, fearing the LORD; of whom, from fome Ifraelites who were fent back to them for that Purpose, they had got fome flight Notion; but, chiefly, bigotted to the feveral Idolatries in which they had been educated. Thefe, from the City of Samaria, and the Country round about it, were call'd Samaritans: Between whom and the Jews there continually fubfifted an utter Enmity.

For the latter, after they were conquer'd by Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon, when their Temple and City were deftroy'd, and they had continued Seventy Years in Captivity, were permitted to return to their own Country: A Favour, which the other Ten Tribes were never to expect; according as God had foretold by the Mouth of Hof. i. 6. one of his Prophets; I will no more have mercy upon the houfe of Ifrael, but I will utterly take them away. But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will fave them, by the LORD their God,

Upon

Upon their Return, they began to rebuild their City and Temple, being order'd and empower'd fo to do, by Cyrus' King of Perfia, who had just then conquer'd Babylon. However, they made but a flow Progrefs in the Work, from the frequent Interruptions given them by their inveterate Enemies the Samaritans: until, at last, in the Reign of Darius, Son of Hyftafpes, King of Perfia, they were enabled to finish their Undertaking, in fpite of all the Oppofition of their malicious Neighbours.

Soon after this, it is probable, the Samaritans built their Temple likewise, upon Mount Gerizim, in oppofition to that of the Jews. And thus they continued, still maintaining their old Bickerings, and fometimes waging War with each other, many Years. Till, at laft, the Samaritans being totally fubdued by the Jews, remain'd under their Subjection; and finally, after many Seditions and Commotions, both of them, with the rest of the conquer'd World, fell into the Power of the Romans. All which Time, the Jews found it a mighty Inconvenience, to be

oblig'd

oblig'd (as by their Situation they were) to go through the Country of the detefted Samaritans, whenever they were to pass to or from their own Province Galilee.

Which Preliminaries being thus fettled, we fhall proceed to enquire more particularly into their Religion and Govern

ment.

10 FE60

SCRIPTURE POLITICS.

CHAP. I.

SECT. I. THE LA W.

E will begin with the Law; which was given by God, for the Government of this his chosen People, through the Administration of Moses; to

whom it was deliver'd in a very particular and extraordinary manner. It relates to their whole Behaviour, as well Religious as Civil; and may be compris'd under two general Heads, their Love of God, and of their Neighbour. For which Reason, when the Pharifee who was a Lawyer, one who made the Study and Knowledge of this Law