by himself, prefcribes laws by which the fubjects of it are governed. These are no other than the judicial laws, which, in the facred history, are frequently denominated JUDGMENTS.- In a theocracy, Jehovah not only prefcribed the qualification of civil rulers; but alfo pitched on the individual perfons to be invefted with that power. In other commonwealths, rulers are the ORDINANCE OF MAN; or, as the Apofle fpeaks, THE CREATURE OF MAN. In the Hebrew commonwealth they were chofen immediately by God. If the

perhaps, no Church at all, unless it be a kind of Ecclefiaftical State. The ufual idea they affix unto the term theocracy is a state in which God himself acted the part of an earthly monarch, without any regard to the internal obedience of his fubjects, and without enforcing his flatutes by any but temporal rewards and punishments: "The conditions which entitled to the bleflings of the Sinai covenant is obedience to the letter of the Law, even when it did not flow from faith and love. A temporal monarch claims from his fubjects only outward henour and obedience. God, therefore, acting in the Sinai Covenant as King of the Jews, demanded from them no more," ERSKINE'S Differtations, p. 37. God, in that covenant, acted as a temporal monarch; and from a temporal monarch, temporal profperity is all we hope, not spiritual bleflings, fuch as righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghoft," p. 22. Hence, they conclude, that an equal providence was adminiftrated even unto each individual in the republic. WARBURTON'S Divine Legat. of Mofes Demonftrat. Others imagine all judicials are of perpetual obligation; and all states, where the Chriftian religion has obtained, ought to be governed by them. The abbettors of this laft opinion are confated by Calvin, Vid. Inftitut. pallim.

Jewish nation, at any time, exercised the power of electing magiftrates, it confifted either in an approbation of God's choice, or it was the effect of a fpecial mandate from God himself for that purpofe: Saul and David were first chofen by God, then by the people: The people, with Mofes, elected elders, God commanding them fo to do. Again, Jehovah referved to himfelf the prerogative of proclaiming war and making peace. Sometimes God proclaimed war against his enemies; as in the cafe of the Amalekites and Canaanites: At other times, he informed his fubjects in this matter by Urim and Thummim, or by his infpired prophets : Hence, they are frequently faid to ENQUIRE OF THE LORD before they adventured on war. In one word, This theocracy was alfo adminiftered by a peculiar providence. Some imagine, that this adminiftration was perfectly equal, both as it refpected the nation, and alfo as it refpected individuals; but I greatly doubt if fuch an adminiftration be compatible with the nature of this prefent world. I would readily grant, however, that, for the moft part, public reformation was rewarded with national profperity, and public defection punished with national adverfity; as far as was confiftent with the rights and exercife of divine fovereinty: For God might either punish the perpetrators of wickedness in their own perfons, or vifit the iniquities of the fathers upon the children un

to

Now,

to the third or fourth generation* the moral law bound not only unto the obfervation of itfelf; but also of all its appendages: Thus, for example, the fifth commandment, which bound to honour parents in the commonwealth, as well as in the family, bound to honour thofe magiftrates which God had inftituted among them. The fecond commandment, which binds unto an obfervance of all that God has appointed in his word, bound also unto the obfervance of circumcifion, the passover, facrifices of every fpecies, and the observation of their folemn feasts †.

II. I SHALL

*Twenty inftances of a peculiar providence are enumerated by Leidekker de Repub. Lib. V. cap. i. § 5. cum notis. He would fee a particular account of the theocracy may confult H. Witfius, Orat. Dict. 16. Mar. 1687. DE THEOCRATIA ISRAELITARUM. The firft au- • thor, as far as I know, who gave a view of Jewish government fimilar to that which I have offered, was Herman Conringius, de Repub. Hebræor. p. 113, 114. But he fell into the mistake of denying the diftinétion between the Jewish civil and ecclefiaftic governments, which mistake we intend to confider afterwards. The peculiar form, and diftinét branches of the Hebrew polity, are delineated, with great accuracy and judgment, by MOSES LOWMAN, in a Differtation on the Civil Government of the Hebrews; in which the true defigns and nature of the government are explained. The JUSTICE, WISDOM, and COODNESS of the Mofaic conflitution are vindicated. London edit. 1740.

The above view of the Jewish Government, which I take to be the juft one, will never yield this conclufion, "That the Mofaic covenant contained only temporal bleflings;

II. I SHALL now exprefs a connected view of both the promises and precepts in this tranfaction, with Ifrael's acceptance of them. And their bond feems to have been to the following purpose: "Because the Lord God of our fathers, Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, has been gracioufly pleased to take us for his peculiar people, dignifying us with the difpofitions of kings and priests, as well as entitling us unto the honour of them; confecrating us to be a holy nation unto himself, while he makes over himfelf unto us as our own God, affuring us of the guidance of the angel of his presence, to conduct us through the wilderness in the meantime, as also the Meffiah in the fulness of time; and alfo, becaufe he hath renewed the fecurity granted to our fathers, of bleffings both spiritual and temporal: WE ENGAGE and refolve, To hear and believe all that God hath promised, to obey all the precepts he hath enjoined; particularly, to know and acknowledge God as the only true God, and our God,

bleffings; and demanded only out-fide obedience." Is it just reafoning to argue, becaufe God ftood in the capacity of a head to the commonwealth, therefore, he could not stand in any other relation to the members of it? That, because he demanded loyalty, and refpect to the judicial law, therefore, he could not claim any fpiritual obedience unto the moral law? That, becaufe he promifed temporal bleffings, therefore, he could not bestow any other? Yet fuch are the reafonings upon which mighty bulwarks have been erected, for befieging a Covenanted Reformation! But I hope they will never make the fmalleft tone of it to flake.

and

and to worship and glorify him accordingly; by receiving, obferving, keeping pure and entire all fuch religious worship and ordinances as he hath appointed in his word; making a holy and reverend ufe of God's names, titles, attributes, ordinances, words, and works; and keeping holy to God fuch fet times as he hath appointed in his word, exprefsly one whole day in feven, to be Sabbath to himself, by an holy refting all that day, even from fuch worldly employments and recreations as are lawful on other days, fpending the whole time in the public and private exercife of God's worship, except fo much as is to be taken up in the works of neceffity and mercy: And we resolve, To preferve the honour and perform the duty which belongeth unto every one in their feveral places and relations, as fuperiors, inferiors, or equals; and to ufe all lawful endeavours to preferve our own life and the life of others; and to preferve our own and our neighbour's chastity in heart, fpeech, and behaviour; with the lawful procuring and furthering the wealth and outward eftate of ourfelves and others; while we maintain and promote the truth between man and man, and endeavour to maintain, each for himfelf, his own and his neighbour's good name, efpecially in witnefs bearing: And we engage, To endeavour full contentment with our own condition, with a right and charitable frame of fpirit towards our neighbour, and all that is his *."

* Shorter Catechifm.

III. I SHALL