{ 34 ) 



ftibfiflence of the people; and whatever thefe 

 means were, we are lure, that they muft, of 

 all others, be the moft fit for increafing the 

 number of inhabitants in any country what- 

 ever. Thefe means, in one word, were 

 agriculture, and that, no doubt, on the beft 

 plan that could poflibly bedevifed ; of which, 

 however, we ihall perhaps have occafion af- 

 terwards to fpeak more particularly. Here, 

 it may be obferved, that their courfe of la- 

 bouring feems to have been perfectly uni- 

 form ; having a feventh year's reft. Great 

 part of the ground was probably laboured 

 with the fpade ; and as it was called, a land 

 flowing with milk and honey, we may hence 

 conclude, that part of it was in grafs, and 

 part in corn. From this alfo we may learn, 

 that one fyilem of hufbandry fhould be uni- 

 verfally ufed throughout the kingdom. 



Commerce was not introduced till the days 

 of Solomon ; and then, though it enriched 

 the nation, they complained that they were 

 oppreffed by it, and wiflied for a relief from 

 their burdens. Afterwards, when commerce 

 was totally annihilated, they continued very 

 numerous, as was evident at their final de- 

 ftrudion by the Romans, when upwards of 



a 



