rights and property of its subjects, the wisdom of the divine Framer enacted the following fundamental laws;— that the territory should be equally divided to the seve ral members of the community; that every man should hold his estate as a freehold immediately from God himself, without any tenure of service or vassalage to intermediate lords; and that the estates thus settled upon the several families should never afterwards be alienated from them, but descend by an indefeasible entail in perpetual succession. The first article, viz. the division of the land, was ordered to be carried into effect with the utmost exactness, under the inspection of the high priest, the judge, and one of the princes of the tribe. The manner of this division was by lot; and it was so conducted, that each tribe and family received their share by themselves. To use the modern style, every tribe lived together în the same county, and the members of every family occupied the same town or vicinity. To prevent the distinction of tribes from being confounded, their sons and daughters were not permitted to marry into any other tribe but their own. The celebrated Harrington justly describes the process of dividing their territory by lot, in the following manner. There were two urns, one containing the names of the tribes, the other the names of those parcels of lands, which they were to draw. Accordingly the name of a tribe, for example of Benjamin, being drawn out of one urn, to that name a parcel was drawn out of the other, for instance, the country lying between Jericho and Bethlehem. This being done, the prince of that tribe chose in what place he would take his agreed proportion; for our author supposes the chiefs of tribes and of families had a larger assignment of land on account of their quality and power. After

this, the remainder of the parcel was subdivided according to the number of families in said tribe; and these subdivided parcels being put in one urn, and the names of the fathers of families in the other, each house or family drew its particular lot. Every patriarch or head of a house then selected his proportion of this lot; and the rest was again subdivided according to the number of names in each family. If these were more than the lot would supply at twenty one acres per man, the defect was filled up by additions from the next parcel; and if they were fewer, the overplus was transferred to the next division. Thus, in a manner similar to the drawing of modern lotteries, an accurate division of the land of Canaan by lot was both practicable and easy.

This original equality of landed property was an instance of wise policy on many accounts. While it gave birth to general economy and diligence, it secured to every citizen a free, easy, and honorable condition. It nourished the spirit, the virtues, and the blessings of agricultural life, in opposition to the evils, which grow out of foreign commerce and conquest. It precluded or powerfully checked every ambitious invasion of the public liberty; for no person in the nation possessed, or could legally acquire such property, as would enable or encourage him to oppress his fellow subjects. As none had great wealth, by which to corrupt others; so very few could be so poor, as to become the easy prey of corruption. It could never be in the power of one or a few men to force the community into subjection to their ambitious views; for the aggregate power possessed by the numerous freeholders of the several tribes was a mighty barrier against all such usurpations. In short, the arrangement before us was fitted to create and maintain a

large body of able and independent yeomanry, of patriottic and brave militia, whose constant possession of valuable property and freedom enabled them duly to appreciate and defend them.

When a good constitution is once established, sound policy will make the best provision for its permanent existence and effect. For this purpose an Agrarian law, or a year of Jubilee was instituted, by which, at the expiration of every half century, alienated estates were ta revert to their original owners, or to their natural heirs, and every obligation, by which a Hebrew had bound himself to a state of servitude, was dissolved. This peculiar provision of the Jewish law had an excellent effect in perpetuating both the freedom and property of the several families and citizens of that commonwealth. It prevented the most idle and extravagant householder from entailing hopeless slavery and ruin on his family. "He could only mortgage his possession for a limited time; nor could there be any instance of a dangerous and lasting accumulation of landed property." How effectually did this guard the reasonable liberty and happiness of all! What an attachment to the soil, and of course what an ardent love of country must have grown out of this unalienable right to their several possessions !

The wisdom of the abovementioned institutions will strike us with greater force, if we consider that the Hebrew government was designed to continue for many hundred years. The Jews were to enjoy their civil polity and their religion, and thus to keep alive in the world the knowledge and service of the true God, till a better constitution should take place under the reign of the Messiah. To effect this most benevolent purpose, it was necessary to guard their constitution against all the ave

nues of corruption, slavery and dissolution; it was ne cessary to preserve them a free and united, a hardy and invincible people, till the great end of their government should be superseded by the coming and kingdom of Christ. We are to remember that the Jews in Canaan were surrounded by very great and powerful enemies, particularly by the Egyptians, Assyrians, and Babylonians. As the Hebrew constition made no provision of a standing defensive army against such formidable neighbours, but rather precluded its existence; it was important to provide for the exterior security of the nation in some other mode. Accordingly the whole community was obliged to appear in arms, when legally summoned. Thus the whole nation became a standing army. This feature of their polity deserves a more particular attention. "Every Israelite of an age capable of bearing arms was required to join the army, when danger threatened his country; but at the head of the forces a proclamation was directed to be made, excusing every person from going into the battle, who had either lately married a wife, built a house, or planted a vineyard; as these circumstances would naturally render him too fondly attached to life, and more unwilling to expose it in the public service. Every man too, who felt himself fearful and fainthearted on any other account was wisely dismissed previously to the engagement, lest their timidity should infect his brethren in arms." Dr. Priestly justly observes, that maxims so full of good sense and moderation cannot be found in any other antient nation. But these exemptions of particular persons from military service necessarily imply, that all others were bound to attend it; and even those, who were excused from engaging in the war, were obliged to appear at the general muster. The

officers could not on any occasion grant liberty of absence for more than one year; and those men, who were unfit to occupy the post of danger, were still required to assist the army by such services, as they were qualified to perform. We find that Moses, the Hebrew Lawgiver, urged with great force the duty of uniting the whole military power of the nation for the purpose of effecting their settlement in Canaan, Such a union was afterward enjoined as equally necessary for their continued security. The importance of such union fully justifies those severe laws against desertion, and those dreadful executions for this crime, which the sacred history records. To desert the common cause in seasons of danger is to expose to ruin the welfare and even existence of the community. To punish such deserters with death has been the just and even benevolent policy of all nations and constitutions. Those therefore, who censure the laws and proceedings of the Israelites on this ground, discover a want either of judgment, integrity, or candor.

In considering the military force of this people I will just add, that, as the great strength of any country lies in its population, so the uniform principles of the Jews led them beyond any other nation, to view celibacy and the want of posterity as a great affliction and reproach, and a multitude of children as the noblest blessing. But in heathen communities many persons aspired to perpetual celibacy, as a high instance of religion and of human perfection. From this pagan source have been derived the absurd and pernicious institutions of monastic life in some christian countries.

Having contemplated the twelve tribes of Israel not only settled, but permanently secured and protected in their several portions of the holy land, as so many distinct