of the tabernacle was always fituate in the centre of the tribes, and the tabernacle in the centre of the court; like the tent of the сарtain general, (fays Lami) in the midst of the army; three of the tribes to the east of it, three to the weft, three to the north, and three to the fouth.(Num. i. 53. Num.ii.) And to this I apprehend, refers that paffage in the lxxvth Pfalm, Ver. 6. For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the weft, nor yet from the South *. But God is the Judge: he putteth down one,

and fetteth up another. And it is certain, that the first election or promotion of the elders, that is, the princes of the people, into the great, council, was by the immediate influence of the Spirit of GOD.

FIFTHLY, When the men of Kirjathjearim brought the ark into their city, they deposited it in the house of Abinadab in the bill:

* Here the prophet rebuking the pride of the princes, let them know, that their exaltation in reality proceeded neither from the people, nor their own merits, but from GOD the Centre and Source of power: and therefore they fhould be humbled in his prefence, I faid unto the fools--Deal not fo foolishly---and to the wicked, Lift not up your born; lift not up your born on high, and speak not with a ftiff neck; for promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the weft, nor from the fouth: but God is the Judge ; he putteth down one, and fetteth up another.

hill: (probably the moft eminent and diftinguished fituation in the city) which hill * faith Beda, overlook'd and commanded the whole town, and was therefore a fit place for the ark, which was quafi arx totius Ifraelis, the beauty and bulwark of Ifrael; and is it to be imagined, that David, who was fo remarkably folicitous (as was before obferv'd) to find out a fit place for it, would be lefs careful to honour it with an advantageous fituation, than the men of Kirjath-jearim? especially when it appears from many paffages in the Pfalms, that he confidered God as the fortrefs or citadel, upon which, both his own safety, and that of his city, depended.

Is it poffible to imagine, that all this had no meaning! that the example of God himfelf, and the practice of his people for fo many ages, was matter of no instruction and direction to fo wife and fo religious a prince, in a point, which he had so intirely at heart? Is this to be imagined, in a nation, accustomed to be inftructed by emblems from the beginning?

IN the last place, it appears evidently from the text, that, when David set about *This is Dr. Trapp's note.

removing

removing the ark, he purposed to remove it to himself; that is, his own dwelling in Sion: and it appears, with great evidence, that he dwelt in the fort; that is, the citadel: and as the ark had the first place in his care, it is not in any degree to be doubted, that it had the first place in his city, and in his citadel. The tabernacle, in David's eftimation, was the palace of GOD (Lift up your heads, ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the king of glory fhall come in): and it could be no doubt with David, whether the palace of GOD fhould have the pre-eminence. Nothing could be a more natural or obvious emblem of the power and fuperintendence of Almighty God over all his works, than an elevated fituation of his tabernacle, his palace, and throne, over every thing that encompaffed it.

THE inference from all this inquiry, is plain and fhort. Jerufalem was the centre of union to all the tribes; and to this plainly refers, that paffage in the 122d Pfalm, Jerufalem is built as a city that is at unity in itjelf. For thither the tribes go up to worship -There is the feat of judgment, &c. For my brethren and companions fakes (that is, for VOL. II.

M

the

the common intereft of the nation) I will wifh thee profperity.

JERUSALEM, the great feat and centre of religion, and juftice, was the centre of union to all the tribes; the palace, the centre of the city; and the tabernacle, of the palace.

BLESSED and happy is that nation, whose prince is the centre of union to his people; and GOD (that is, true religion) the common centre and cement both of people and prince!

THE indulgent reader will, I hope, pardon this digreffion, merely as it contains matter of fome little curiofity. It is not very tedious, and it pretends not to be very portant.

im

CHAP. XIII.

A Differtation upon Dancing, in which DAVID'S Dancing before the Ark is examined, and vindicated.

T is well known, that David's dancing

IT

before the ark hath long been matter of loud laughter with the libertine world, and a kind of filent shame with commentators, and

christian writers, of all kinds; who seem to hang down their heads, as this proceffion of the ark paffes, in confufion for the king of Ifrael; fome of them, now-and-then, dropping a fhort word in his excufe; not one daring to publish one page in his vindication; and but one or two, that I know of, daring to quote one paffage from any ancient writer of note in his favour.

In this fituation of things, it may be thought a rash and arduous attempt, to adventure any vindication of his conduct in this point; and I have myself long thought it fo; till much meditation upon the fubject, and a more thorough and inlarged examination of the opinions and practice of the wifeft and best men, in the wifeft and beft ages, added to the precepts of GOD himself upon the point, thoroughly reconciled me, not only to the reasonablenefs, but to the wisdom and virtue of the practice; and encouraged me to offer my thoughts upon it, to the candid reader, in the natural order and arrangement, in which I found them, after long meditation, difpofed in my mind. IN the first place then, I found dancing mixed with the religious ceremonies of the M 2

Jews,