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yet become open idolaters, they were destitute of the spirit of implicit obedience to the authority of God in what related to his worship, and were preparing themselves and others who might unite with them in their proceedings, for still grosser departures from duty. It showed, too, that the public religious sentiment was in a very degenerate state. For these offenders seem to have felt no restraint from that source, being alike destitute of the fear of God and of their fellow-men. Indeed, we are told that, at that time, there was no king, or ruler of any kind, to punish such enormities, but that " every man did that which was right in his own eyes."

An event soon occurred that led Micah to advance one step farther in his forbidden practices, and to become the more confirmed in them. A young man, a Levite, whose temporary residence had been at Bethlehem in the tribe of Judah, leaving that place, came to Mount Ephraim, on a Journey to find another home, and stopped at the house of Micah. The latter, after ascertaining who he was, and the object of his traveling, invited him to take up his abode there. "Dwell with me," said he, "and be unto me a father and a priest," (my spiritual teacher and director in religious concerns,) "and I will give thee ten shekels of silver by the year, and a suit of appa rel, and thy victuals."

The Levite consented, and was treated as ons of his own sons by Micah; who himself consecrated this young man to the service of his sanctuary, exulting in the unlawful act, and exclaiming, Now know I that the Lord will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to be my priest." Both sinned in an aggravated manner. It was sacrilege in Micah thus to usurp the divine prerogative of setting apart an individual to the priestly office; while the young man was equally guilty in consenting to have it done, especially as he was not of the family of Aaron, in which alone the priesthood was to descend, but of that of Gershom, another branch of the tribe of Levi.

And so it is, that one sin leads on to another, and one sinner makes more; while each encou rages his fellow in their mutual guilt. Micah wanted a priest to complete his religious establishment, as he would call it,-and the Levite wanted a home, and could not resist the temptation. Both furnish us with a melancholy illustration of the corruption of human nature, and of the condition of too many of the Israelites at that time.

Fear, my young friend, lest you may be tempted away from the love and service of God, to follow such examples. Take care, lest some false doctrines and perversion of the true worship of God lead you into error. There are temples, like

that of Micah, which wear the semblance of being devoted to Jehovah, and are yet devoid of all claim to the title. There are those who pretend to be the ministers of the religion of the Bible, but like the young Levite from Bethlehem, are utterly unfit for, and unworthy of the sacred office. Be ever on your guard against such seductions. Keep the word of God near your heart. Depart not from its precepts. With earnest supplication for the guidance and aid of the Holy Spirit, endeavor to ascertain what the divine will is; and having ascertained, implicitly obey it.

CHAPTER III.

Emigration of some Danites. They carry Micah's images and priest with them to Laish. First introduction of idolatry among the Israelites.

At the time when the young Levite became, as we have seen, the priest of Micah, a part of the tribe of Dan, whose territory had been forcibly taken from them by the Canaanites, resolved to migrate to a remote section of the country,

that they might obtain a residence of sufficient extent. They had their eye upon the region at the foot of Mount Lebanon, and not far from the sources of the Jordan, and selecting five of their most enterprising and valiant men, sent them to spy out the land, and bring back information.

These men, on their way, stopped at the house of Micah and lodged near it. Hearing the young Levite speak, they knew from his pronunciation that he was not of the tribe of Ephraim, and had a curiosity to ascertain why he came there, and what was his business. On their making the inquiry, he informed them of the station which he held, and of the terms which he had made with his employer.

We have reason to believe that the Danites, before undertaking the enterprise on which the five spies were sent, had not consulted the Urim and Thummim at Shiloh, to ascertain the divine will in the matter. Having neglected this important duty, the men who had just ascertained that Micah had a sanctuary of his own, and a Levite to officiate in it, were induced to make the inquiry of the latter,-influenced, no doubt, by a superstitious feeling, and ready to fall in with the sinful practices of the priest and his temple. They must have well known that it was in direct violation of the divine command to do this. Had they been true to their allegiance to Jehovah,

they would have scrupulously avoided the contamination, and have expressed to Micah and his priest the abhorrence with which they regarded such a sin. Their conduct was a decided indication of the low state of religious feeling among the Danites; and thus serves to show us more clearly the general corruption, and the tendency to idolatry, which pervaded probably no inconsiderable part of the whole nation.

"Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous," was the inquiry which the spies made of the young Levite.

"Go in peace," was his reply, after consulting his pretended oracle; "before the Lord is your way wherein ye go." A very safe answer this. He merely assures them of his good wishes for their prosperity, and that the providence of God would superintend their course; using language, indeed, which implied, in its more obvious sense, that they would experience the divine blessing, and have their enterprise crowned with success, but susceptible of a different construction, should the issue prove unfavorable.

The five Danites, on receiving this answer, departed, and came at length to Laish, the place of their destination. They found its inhabitants, a colony of the Sidonians, living as that people were accustomed to do, unsuspicious of danger, and 10

Joshua. & Judges.

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