invention the devil ever ſet on foot for the promotion of idolatry. The Heathens paid divine honours to their deceaſed Kings, and the Chriſtian world hath improved on the plan, by doing the ſame to their living ones. How impious is the title of ſacred Majeſty, applied to a worm, who in the midſt of his ſplendor is crumbling into duſt!
As the exalting one man ſo greatly above the reſt cannot be juſtified on the equal rights of nature, ſo neither can it be defended on the authority of ſcripture; for the will of the Almighty, as declared by Gideon and the Prophet Samuel, expreſsly diſapproves of government by Kings. All Anti-Monarchical parts of ſcripture have been very ſmoothly gloſſed over in Monarchical governments, but they undoubtedly merit the attention of countries which have their governments yet to form. Render unto Cæſar the things which are Cæſar's," is the ſcripture doctrine of Courts, yet it is no ſupport of a Monarchical government; for the Jews at that time were without a King, and in a ſtate of vaſſalage to the Romans.
Near three thouſand years paſſed away, from the Moſaic account of the creation, till the Jews, under a national deluſion, requeſted a King. Till then, their form of government (except in extraordinary caſes where the Almighty interpoſed) was a kind of Republic, adminiſtred by a judge and the elders of the tribes. Kings they had none, and it was held ſinful to acknowledge any being under that title but the Lord of Hoſts. And when a man ſeriouſly reflects on the idolatrous homage which is paid to the perſons of Kings, he need not wonder that the Almighty, ever jealous of his honor, ſhould diſapprove of a form of government which ſo impiouſly invades the prerogative of Heaven.
Monarchy is ranked in ſcripture as one of the ſins of the Jews, for which a curſe in reſerve is denounced againſt them. The hiſtory of that tranſaction is worth attending to.
The children of Iſrael being oppreſſed by the Midianites, Gideon marched againſt them with a ſmall army, and victory through the divine interpoſition decided in his favour. The Jews, elate with ſucceſs, and attributing it to the generalſhip of Gideon, propoſed making him a King, ſaying, "Rule thou over us, thou and thy ſon, and thy ſon's ſon." Here was temptation in its fulleſt extent; not a Kingdom only, but an hereditary one: But Gideon in the piety of his ſoul, replied, "I will not rule over you, neither ſhall my ſon rule over you; the Lord shall rule over you." Words need not be more explicit; Gideon doth not decline the honor, but denieth their right to give it; neither doth he compliment them with invented declarations of his thanks, but, in the poſitive ſtile of a Prophet, charges them with diſaffection to their proper Sovereign, the King of Heaven.
About one hundred and thirty years after this, they fell again into the ſame error. The hankering which the Jews had for the idolatrous cuſtoms of the
