The Magistracy of Moses: The Old Testament in Local Government, 1689–1750

Abstract

This article explores the popularity of Moses as a model for government in the early eighteenth century. It examines references to Moses in sermons preached at civic or political events such as assizes, elections of mayors, and meetings of reform societies. These provide an insight into contemporary understandings of the origins of the magistracy, as well as expectations of the magistrate's character and duties. The article therefore reveals the persistence of biblical, and specifically Hebraic, imagery in political and civic culture, with signs that this rhetoric was adapted to fit with eighteenth-century sensibilities.