mh_parser/vol_split/7 - Judges/Chapter 17.xml

<div2 id="Jud.xviii" n="xviii" next="Jud.xix" prev="Jud.xvii" progress="19.95%" title="Chapter XVII">
<h2 id="Jud.xviii-p0.1">J U D G E S</h2>
<h3 id="Jud.xviii-p0.2">CHAP. XVII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Jud.xviii-p1">All agree that what is related in this and the
rest of the chapters to the end of this book was not done, as the
narrative occurs, after Samson, but long before, even soon after
the death of Joshua, in the days of Phinehas the son of Eleazar,
<scripRef id="Jud.xviii-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.20.28" parsed="|Judg|20|28|0|0" passage="Jdg 20:28"><i>ch.</i> xx. 28</scripRef>. But it
is cast here into the latter part of the book that it might not
interrupt the history of the Judges. That it might appear how happy
the nation was in the judges it is here shown how unhappy they were
when there was none. I. Then idolatry began in the family of Micah,
<scripRef id="Jud.xviii-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Judg.17.1-Judg.17.13" parsed="|Judg|17|1|17|13" passage="Jdg 17:1-13"><i>ch.</i> xvii</scripRef>. II.
Then it spread itself into the tribe of Dan, <scripRef id="Jud.xviii-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.1-Judg.18.31" parsed="|Judg|18|1|18|31" passage="Jdg 18:1-31"><i>ch.</i> xviii</scripRef>. III. Then villany was
committed in Gibeah of Benjamin, <scripRef id="Jud.xviii-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Judg.19.1-Judg.19.30" parsed="|Judg|19|1|19|30" passage="Jdg 19:1-30"><i>ch.</i> xix</scripRef>. IV. Then that whole tribe
was destroyed for countenancing it, <scripRef id="Jud.xviii-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Judg.20.1-Judg.20.48" parsed="|Judg|20|1|20|48" passage="Jdg 20:1-48"><i>ch.</i> xx</scripRef>. V. Then strange expedients
were adopted to keep up that tribe, <scripRef id="Jud.xviii-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:Judg.21.1-Judg.21.25" parsed="|Judg|21|1|21|25" passage="Jdg 21:1-25"><i>ch.</i> xxi</scripRef>. Therefore blessed be God
for the government we are under! In this chapter we are told how
Micah an Ephraimite furnished himself, 1. With an image for his
god, <scripRef id="Jud.xviii-p1.7" osisRef="Bible:Judg.17.1-Judg.17.6" parsed="|Judg|17|1|17|6" passage="Jdg 17:1-6">ver. 1-6</scripRef>. 2. With a
Levite, such a one as he was, for his priest, <scripRef id="Jud.xviii-p1.8" osisRef="Bible:Judg.17.7-Judg.17.13" parsed="|Judg|17|7|17|13" passage="Jdg 17:7-13">ver. 7-13</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom id="Jud.xviii-p0.1_1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.17" parsed="|Judg|17|0|0|0" passage="Jud 17" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Jud.xviii-p0.2_1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.17.1-Judg.17.6" parsed="|Judg|17|1|17|6" passage="Jud 17:1-6" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Judg.17.1-Judg.17.6">
<h4 id="Jud.xviii-p1.11">Micah and His Gods. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Jud.xviii-p1.12">b. c.</span> 1406.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Jud.xviii-p2">1 And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose
name <i>was</i> <scripRef id="Jud.xviii-p2.1" osisRef="Bible:Mic.2" parsed="|Mic|2|0|0|0" passage="Micah. 2">Micah.   2</scripRef> And he said unto his mother, The
eleven hundred <i>shekels</i> of silver that were taken from thee,
about which thou cursedst, and spakest of also in mine ears,
behold, the silver <i>is</i> with me; I took it. And his mother
said, Blessed <i>be thou</i> of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jud.xviii-p2.2">Lord</span>, my son.   3 And when he had restored
the eleven hundred <i>shekels</i> of silver to his mother, his
mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jud.xviii-p2.3">Lord</span> from my hand for my son, to make a
graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it
unto thee.   4 Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and
his mother took two hundred <i>shekels</i> of silver, and gave them
to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image:
and they were in the house of <scripRef id="Jud.xviii-p2.4" osisRef="Bible:Mic.5" parsed="|Mic|5|0|0|0" passage="Micah. 5">Micah.   5</scripRef> And the man Micah had
a house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated
one of his sons, who became his priest.   6 In those days
<i>there was</i> no king in Israel, <i>but</i> every man did
<i>that which was</i> right in his own eyes.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xviii-p3">Here we have, I. Micah and his mother
quarrelling. 1. The son robs the mother. The old woman had hoarded,
with long scraping and saving, a great sum of money, 1100 pieces of
silver. It is likely she intended, when she died, to leave it to
her son: in the mean time it did her good to look upon it, and to
count it over. The young man had a family of children grown up, for
he had one of age to be a priest, <scripRef id="Jud.xviii-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.17.5" parsed="|Judg|17|5|0|0" passage="Jdg 17:5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. He knows where to find his
mother's cash, thinks he has more need of it than she has, cannot
stay till she dies, and so takes it away privately for his own use.
Though it is a fault in parents to withhold from their children
that which is meet, and lead them into temptation to wish them in
their graves, yet even this will by no means excuse the wickedness
of those children that steal from their parents, and think all
their own that they can get from them, though by the most indirect
methods. 2. The mother curses the son, or whoever had taken her
money. It should seem she suspected her son; for, when she cursed,
she spoke in his ears so loud, and with so much passion and
vehemence, as made both his ears to tingle. See what mischief the
love of money makes, how it destroys the duty and comfort of every
relation. It was the love of money that made Micah so undutiful to
his mother as to rob her, and made her so unkind and void of
natural affection to her son as to curse him if he had it and
concealed it. Outward losses drive good people to their prayers,
but bad people to their curses. This woman's silver was her god
before it was made thither into a graven or a molten image, else
the loss of it would not have put her into such a passion as caused
her quite to forget and break through all the laws of decency and
piety. It is a very foolish thing for those that are provoked to
throw their curses about <i>as a madman that casteth fire-brands,
arrows, and death,</i> since they know not but they may light upon
those that are most dear to them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xviii-p4">II. Micah and his mother reconciled. 1. The
son was so terrified with his mother's curses that he restored the
money. Though he had so little grace as to take it, he had so much
left as not to dare to keep it when his mother had sent a curse
after it. He cannot believe his mother's money will do him any good
without his mother's blessing, nor dares he deny the theft when he
is charged with it, nor retain the money when it is demanded by the
right owner. It is best not to do evil, but it is next best, when
it is done, to undo it again by repentance, confession, and
restitution. Let children be afraid of having the prayers of their
parents against them; for, though the curse causeless shall not
come, yet that which is justly deserved may be justly feared, even
though it was passionately and indecently uttered. 2. The mother
was so pleased with her son's repentance that she recalled her
curses, and turned them into prayers for her son's welfare:
<i>Blessed be thou of the Lord, my son.</i> When those that have
been guilty of a fault appear to be free and ingenuous in owning it
they ought to be commended for their repentance, rather than still
be condemned and upbraided for their fault.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xviii-p5">III. Micah and his mother agreeing to turn
their money into a god, and set up idolatry in their family; and
this seems to have been the first instance of the revolt of any
Israelite from God and his instituted worship after the death of
Joshua and the elders that out-lived him, and is therefore thus
particularly related. And though this was only the worship of the
true God by an image, against the <i>second</i> commandment, yet
this opened the door to the worship of other gods, Baalim and the
groves, against the <i>first and great</i> commandment.
Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xviii-p6">1. The mother's contrivance of this matter.
When the silver was restored she pretended she had <i>dedicated it
to the Lord</i> (<scripRef id="Jud.xviii-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.17.3" parsed="|Judg|17|3|0|0" passage="Jdg 17:3"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>), either before it was stolen, and then she would have
this thought to be the reason why she was so much grieved at the
loss of it and imprecated evil on him that had taken it, because it
was a dedicated and therefore an accursed thing, or after it was
stolen she had made a vow that, if she could retrieve it, she would
dedicate it to God, and then she would have the providence that had
so far favoured her as to bring it back to her hands to be an
owning of her vow. "Come," said she to her son, "the money is mine,
but thou hast a mind to it; let it be neither mine nor thine, but
let us both agree to make it into an image for a religious use."
Had she put it to a use that was indeed for the service and honour
of God, this would have been a good way of accommodating the matter
between them; but, as it was, the project was wicked. Probably this
old woman was one of those that came out of Egypt, and would have
such images made as she had seen there; now that she began to dote
she called to remembrance the follies of her youth, and perhaps
told her son that this way of worshipping God by images was, to her
knowledge, the old religion.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xviii-p7">2. The son's compliance with her. It should
seem, when she first proposed the thing he stumbled at it, knowing
what the second commandment was; for, when she said (<scripRef id="Jud.xviii-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.17.3" parsed="|Judg|17|3|0|0" passage="Jdg 17:3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>) she designed it for her
son to make an image of, yet he restored it to his mother (being
loth to have a hand in making the image), and she gave it to the
founder and had the thing done, blaming him perhaps for scrupling
at it, <scripRef id="Jud.xviii-p7.2" osisRef="Bible:Judg.17.4" parsed="|Judg|17|4|0|0" passage="Jdg 17:4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. But,
when the images were made, Micah, by his mother's persuasion, was
not only well reconciled to them, but greatly pleased and in love
with them; so strangely bewitching was idolatry, and so much
supported by <i>traditions received from their parents,</i>
<scripRef id="Jud.xviii-p7.3" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.1.18 Bible:Jer.44.17" parsed="|1Pet|1|18|0|0;|Jer|44|17|0|0" passage="1Pe 1:18,Jer 44:17">1 Pet. i. 18; Jer. xliv.
17</scripRef>. But observe how the old woman's covetousness
prevailed, in part, above her superstition. She had wholly
dedicated the silver to make the graven and molten images
(<scripRef id="Jud.xviii-p7.4" osisRef="Bible:Judg.17.3" parsed="|Judg|17|3|0|0" passage="Jdg 17:3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>), all the 1100
pieces; but, when it came to be done, she made less than a fifth
part serve, even 200 <i>shekels,</i> <scripRef id="Jud.xviii-p7.5" osisRef="Bible:Judg.17.4" parsed="|Judg|17|4|0|0" passage="Jdg 17:4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. She thought that enough, and
indeed it was too much to give for an image that is a teacher of
lies. Had it been devoted truly to the honour of God, he would not
thus have been put off with part of the price, but would have
signified his resentment of the affront, as he did in the case of
Ananias and Sapphira. Now observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xviii-p8">(1.) What was the corruption here
introduced, <scripRef id="Jud.xviii-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.17.5" parsed="|Judg|17|5|0|0" passage="Jdg 17:5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>.
The man Micah had <i>a house of gods, a house of God,</i> so the
LXX., for so he thought it, as good as that at Shiloh, and better,
because his own, of his own inventing and at his own disposal; for
people love to have their religion under their girdle, to manage it
as they please. <i>A house of error,</i> so the Chaldee, for really
it was so, a deviation from the way of truth and an inlet to all
deceit. Idolatry is a great cheat, and one of the worst of errors.
That which he aimed at in the progress of his idolatry, whether he
designed it at first or no, was to mimic and rival both God's
oracles and his ordinances. [1.] His oracles; for he made
<i>teraphim,</i> little images which he might advise with as there
was occasion, and receive informations, directions, and predictions
from. What the <i>urim</i> and <i>thummim</i> were to the prince
and people these <i>teraphim</i> should be to his family; yet he
could not think that the true God would own them, or give answers
by them, and therefore depended upon such demons as the heathen
worshipped to inspire them and make them serviceable to him. Thus,
while the honour of Jehovah was pretended (<scripRef id="Jud.xviii-p8.2" osisRef="Bible:Judg.17.3" parsed="|Judg|17|3|0|0" passage="Jdg 17:3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>), yet, his institution being
relinquished, these Israelites unavoidably lapsed into downright
idolatry and demon-worship. [2.] His ordinances. Some room or
apartment in the house of Micah was appointed for the temple or
house of God; an ephod, or holy garment, was provided for his
priest to officiate in, in imitation of those used at the
tabernacle of God, and one of his sons he consecrated, probably the
eldest, to be his priest. And, when he had set up a graven or
molten image to represent the object of his worship, no marvel if a
priest of his own getting and his own making served to be the
manager of it. Here is no mention of any altar, sacrifice, or
incense, in honour of these silver gods, but, having a priest, it
is probable he had all these, unless we suppose that, at first, his
gods were intended only to be advised with, not to be adored, like
Laban's teraphim; but the beginning of idolatry, as of other sins,
is <i>like the letting forth of water:</i> break the dam, and you
bring a deluge. Here idolatry began, and it spread like a fretting
leprosy. Dr. Lightfoot would have us observe that as 1100 pieces of
silver were here devoted to the making of an idol, which ruined
religion, especially in the tribe of Dan (as we shall presently
find), which was Samson's tribe, so 1100 pieces of silver were
given by each Philistine lord for the ruin of Samson.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xviii-p9">(2.) What was the cause of this corruption
(<scripRef id="Jud.xviii-p9.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.17.6" parsed="|Judg|17|6|0|0" passage="Jdg 17:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>): <i>There was
no king in Israel,</i> no judge or sovereign prince to take
cognizance of the setting up of these images (which, doubtless, the
country about soon resorted to), and to give orders for the
destroying of them, none to convince Micah of his error and to
restrain and punish him, to take this disease in time, by which the
spreading of the infection might have been happily prevented. Every
man did that which was <i>right in his own eyes,</i> and then they
soon did that which was <i>evil in the sight of the Lord.</i> When
they were without a king to keep good order among them, God's house
was forsaken, his priests were neglected, and all went to ruin
among them. See what a mercy government is, and what reason there
is that not only <i>prayers and intercessions, but giving of
thanks,</i> should <i>be made for kings and all in authority,</i>
<scripRef id="Jud.xviii-p9.2" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.2.1-1Tim.2.2" parsed="|1Tim|2|1|2|2" passage="1Ti 2:1,2">1 Tim. ii. 1, 2</scripRef>. Nothing
contributes more, under God, to the support of religion in the
world, than the due administration of those two great ordinances,
magistracy and ministry.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Jud.xviii-p0.3" osisRef="Bible:Judg.17.7-Judg.17.13" parsed="|Judg|17|7|17|13" passage="Jud 17:7-13" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Judg.17.7-Judg.17.13">
<p class="passage" id="Jud.xviii-p10">7 And there was a young man out of
Beth-lehem-judah of the family of Judah, who <i>was</i> a Levite,
and he sojourned there.   8 And the man departed out of the
city from Beth-lehem-judah to sojourn where he could find <i>a
place:</i> and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, as
he journeyed.   9 And Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou?
And he said unto him, I <i>am</i> a Levite of Beth-lehem-judah, and
I go to sojourn where I may find <i>a place.</i>   10 And
Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a
priest, and I will give thee ten <i>shekels</i> of silver by the
year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went
in.   11 And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and
the young man was unto him as one of his sons.   12 And Micah
consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and
was in the house of <scripRef id="Jud.xviii-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:Mic.13" parsed="|Mic|13|0|0|0" passage="Micah. 13">Micah.   13</scripRef> Then said Micah, Now know I
that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jud.xviii-p10.2">Lord</span> will do me good,
seeing I have a Levite to <i>my</i> priest.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xviii-p11">We have here an account of Micah's
furnishing himself with a Levite for his chaplain, either thinking
his son, because the heir of his estate, too good to officiate, or
rather, because not of God's tribe, not good enough. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xviii-p12">I. What brought this Levite to Micah. By
his mother's side he was of the family of Judah, and lived at
Bethlehem among his mother's relations (for that was not a Levites'
city), or, upon some other account, as a stranger or inmate,
sojourned there, <scripRef id="Jud.xviii-p12.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.17.7" parsed="|Judg|17|7|0|0" passage="Jdg 17:7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>. Thence he went to <i>sojourn where he could find a
place,</i> and in his travels came to the house of Micah in Mount
Ephraim, <scripRef id="Jud.xviii-p12.2" osisRef="Bible:Judg.17.8" parsed="|Judg|17|8|0|0" passage="Jdg 17:8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. Now,
1. Some think it was his unhappiness that he was under a necessity
of removing, either because he was persecuted and abused, or rather
neglected and starved, at Bethlehem. God had made plentiful
provision for the Levites, but the people withheld their dues, and
did not help them into the possession of the cities assigned to
them; so that they were reduced to straits, and no care was taken
for their relief. Israel's forsaking God began with forsaking the
Levites, which therefore they are warned against, <scripRef id="Jud.xviii-p12.3" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.19" parsed="|Deut|12|19|0|0" passage="De 12:19">Deut. xii. 19</scripRef>. It is a sign religion
is going to decay when good ministers are neglected and at a loss
for a livelihood. But, 2. It seems rather to have been his fault
and folly, that he loved to wander, threw himself out where he was,
and forfeited the respect of his friends, and, having a roving
head, would go to seek his fortune, as we say. We cannot conceive
that things had yet come to such a pass among them that a Levite
should be poor, unless it was his own fault. As those are fit to be
pitied that would fix but may not, so those are fit to be punished
that might fix but will not. Unsettledness being, one would think,
a constant uneasiness, it is strange that any Israelite, especially
any Levite, should affect it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xviii-p13">II. What bargain Micah made with him. Had
he not been well enough content with his son for his priest, he
would have gone or sent abroad to enquire out a Levite, but now he
only takes hold of one that drops into his hands, which showed that
he had no great zeal in the matter. It is probable that this
rambling Levite had heard, in the country, of Micah's house of
<i>gods, his graven and molten image,</i> which, if he had had any
thing of the spirit of a Levite in him, would have brought him
thither to reprove Micah for his idolatry, to tell how directly
contrary it was to the law of God, and how it would bring the
judgments of God upon him; but instead of this, like a base and
degenerate branch of that sacred tribe, thither he goes to offer
his service, with, <i>Have you any work for a Levite?</i> for I am
out of business, and <i>go to sojourn where I may find a place;</i>
all he aimed at was to get bread, not to do good, <scripRef id="Jud.xviii-p13.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.17.9" parsed="|Judg|17|9|0|0" passage="Jdg 17:9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. Micah courts him into
his family (<scripRef id="Jud.xviii-p13.2" osisRef="Bible:Judg.17.10" parsed="|Judg|17|10|0|0" passage="Jdg 17:10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>),
and promises him, 1. Good preferment: <i>Be unto me a father and a
priest.</i> Though a young man, and taken up at the door, yet, if
he take him for a priest, he will respect him as a father, so far
is he from setting him among his servants. He asks not for his
credentials, takes no time to enquire how he behaved in the place
of his last settlement, considers not whether, though he was a
Levite, yet he might not be of such a bad character as to be a
plague and scandal to his family, but thinks, though he should be
ever so great a rake, he might serve for a priest to a graven
image, like Jeroboam's priest of the <i>lowest of the people,</i>
<scripRef id="Jud.xviii-p13.3" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.12.31" parsed="|1Kgs|12|31|0|0" passage="1Ki 12:31">1 Kings xii. 31</scripRef>. No marvel
if those who can make any thing serve for a god can also make any
thing serve for a priest. 2. A tolerable maintenance. He will allow
him <i>meat, and drink, and clothes,</i> a <i>double suit,</i> so
the word is in the margin, a better and a worse, one for every
day's wear and one for holy days, and ten shekels, about
twenty-five shillings, a year for spending money—a poor salary in
comparison of what God provided for the Levites that behaved well;
but those that forsake God's service will never better themselves,
nor find a better master. The ministry is the best calling but the
worst trade in the world.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xviii-p14">III. The Levite's settlement with him
(<scripRef id="Jud.xviii-p14.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.17.11" parsed="|Judg|17|11|0|0" passage="Jdg 17:11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>): He was
<i>content to dwell with the man;</i> though his work was
superstitious and his wages were scandalous, he objected against
neither, but thought himself happy that he had lighted on so good a
house. Micah, thinking himself holier than any of his neighbours,
presumed to consecrate this Levite, <scripRef id="Jud.xviii-p14.2" osisRef="Bible:Judg.17.12" parsed="|Judg|17|12|0|0" passage="Jdg 17:12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. As if his building,
furnishing, and endowing this chapel authorized him, not only to
appoint the person that should officiate there, but to confer those
orders upon him which he had no right to give nor the other to
receive. And now he shows him respect as a father and tenderness as
a son, and is willing thus to make up the deficiency of the coin he
gave him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xviii-p15">IV. Micah's satisfaction in this (<scripRef id="Jud.xviii-p15.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.17.13" parsed="|Judg|17|13|0|0" passage="Jdg 17:13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>): <i>Now know I that
the Lord will do me good</i> (that is, he hoped that his new
establishment would gain reputation among his neighbours, which
would turn to his advantage, for he would share in the profit of
his altar; or, rather, he hoped that God would countenance and
bless him in all he put his hand unto) <i>because I have a Levite
to be my priest.</i> 1. He thought it was a sign of God's favour to
him and his images that he had so opportunely sent a Levite to his
door. Thus those who please themselves with their own delusions, if
Providence unexpectedly bring any thing to their hands that
furthers them in their evil way, are too apt to infer thence that
God is pleased with them. 2. He thought now that the error of his
priesthood was amended all was well, though he still retained his
graven and molten image. Note, Many deceive themselves into a good
opinion of their state by a partial reformation. They think they
are as good as they should be, because, in some one particular
instance, they are not so bad as they have been, as if the
correcting of one fault would atone for their persisting in all the
rest. 3. He thought the making of a Levite into a priest was a very
meritorious act, which really was a presumptuous usurpation, andvery provoking to God. Men's pride, and ignorance, and
self-flattery, will undertake, not only to justify, but magnify and
sanctify, the most daring impieties and invasions upon the divine
prerogatives. With much reason might Micah have said, "Now may I
fear that God will curse me, because I have debauched one of his
own tribe, and drawn him into the worship of a graven image;" yet
for this he hopes God will do him good. 4. He thought that having a
Levite in the house with him would of course entitle him to the
divine favour. Carnal hearts are apt to build too much upon their
external privileges, and to conclude that God will certainly do
them good because they are born of godly parents, dwell in praying
families, are linked in society with those that are very good, and
sit under a lively ministry; whereas all this is but like having a
Levite to be their priest, which amounts to no security at all that
God will do them good, unless they be good themselves, and make a
good use of these advantages.</p>
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