tion, which was founded on an equal distribution of property. But the Spartan institutions, by confining agriculture to their slaves; by banishing the enjoyments of wealth; severing the ties of natural affection; and preventing every domestic comfort;-obliterated in their rigorous discipline, all the kindlier charities of life; and fostered an exclusively martial spirit. This eventually spurned all the restraint of the Legislator; the people indulged their ruling passion, rushed into offensive wars, extended their dominions, introduced the use of money, whence luxury succeeded, and the Spartan Constitution was overthrown.

Now the Hebrew Code had for its basis an equal Agrarian law, (Numb. xxvi. 53, &c.) which provided on their entrance into Canaan, for a regular division of the land, according to the numbers in each Tribe; and assigned an average of about twenty-five acres to each man of the 600,000 that then entered. This they held, independently of temporal superiors, by direct tenure from the Lord Jehovah; and this tenure was inalienable. The land might indeed be temporarily sold; but it was always to revert back to the original family, on the occurrence of every Jubilee. This rule of reversion did not hold as to houses in cities; thereby giving a decided preference to rural property, and an inducement to an agricultural life. Neither was the estate of one family to pass into

another by marriage. Each tribe continued therefore settled in the same county, as it were, and each family in the same hundred.

Thus, not only the balance of property was preserved; but the closest connexions of affinity were kept up by those in each other's vicinity; the happiness of rural life was increased; and the various advantages of hereditary connexions and friendship were preserved.

the

But while this Agrarian Law provided for an independent and virtuous yeomanry, it did not prevent existence of higher ranks, possessing superior property and influence. These were "Captains of Tribes, Elders, and Officers ;" rulers of thousands, of hundreds, and of tens; men entrusted with civil and military command; for whom, after the average quantity of land had been divided among the nation at large, there was an overplus to supply estates, sufficient to maintain their rank, in a period of rural simplicity.

The Constitution also presented an invincible barrier against hostile violence, or internal attempts on public freedom. By the original condition of tenure, every freeholder was obliged, when necessary, to attend the general muster of the army. This great body of upwards of half a million independent yeomanry, commanded by the princes of their tribes,-men equally independent and united by the strongest ties of natural

association, presented an array too formidable for a foreign power to enslave; too opulent to be bribed; too independent to be won over by treacherous ambition and political intrigues; and secured the independence of the State, so long as they observed the statutes of their inspired Legislator.

And here is the striking difference between the Spartan and the Jewish Constitution: whilst the former created a hardy people, but ferocious, and ambitious only of military glory, who at last spurned all restraint; the latter wisely contrived to attach its people to the soil; causing war to be endured only as a necessary evil, from the pollution of which, they were to purify themselves, when it was finished (Num. xix. 13): whilst by confining their force to infantry, and requiring an attendance of the males thrice a year at Jerusalem, it precluded foreign conquest, and confined them within the Promised Land.

But there was one important object provided for, which, till Christianity was established, no other Legislator had ever attended to. The whole tribe of Levi, (forming one twelfth of the nation) was exclusively set apart, not merely to perform the ritual sacrifices, but to diffuse religious and moral instruction amongst the great mass of the people. They had the care of the Sacred Volume; and at solemn periodical congregations, they were to read and expound the Law (Deut.

cible sanctions; and this too, among a people so incapable of inventing it as the Jews: considering all this, we cannot but admit that the whole system manifestly proclaims itself to belong to the Divine Author to whom it is ascribed.

Hence there arises a fourth presumptive Argument for the Divine Original of the Jewish Law.

CHAPTER V.

ORIGINALITY AND DESIGN OF THE JEWISH RITUAL.

The whole tenor of the Jewish Law exhibits so studied an opposition to the Principles of Idolatry, and so decided a contrast even to the particular Rites thereof, as to form an effectual partition-wall between the People of God and surrounding Heathen Nations; and to render the supposition of Moses having adopted many Heathen Rites and Customs, utterly improbable.

Ir the facts mentioned in the preceding chapters, as to the whole of the dealings of Jehovah with the people of Israel, have been satisfactorily established, (as we trust they have,) so as to prove that the Jewish lawgiver was delegated by God, to institute a form of religion, with various rites and ceremonies, for Ilis chosen people; then it is absurd to suppose, that he should borrow any thing from the rites and customs