I
S A M U E L
CHAP. VII.
In
this chapter we have, I. The eclipsing of the glory of the ark, by its privacy
in Kirjath-jearim for many years, ver. 1, 2. II. The appearing of the glory of
Samuel in his public services for the good of Israel, to whom he was raised up
to be a judge, and he was the last that bore that character. This chapter
gives us all the account we have of him when he was in the prime of his time;
for what we had before was in his childhood (ch. ii. and iii.); what we
have of him after was in his old age, ch. viii. 1. We have him here
active, 1. In the reformation of Israel from their idolatry, ver. 3, 4. 2. In
the reviving of religion among them, ver. 5, 6. 3. In praying for them against
the invading Philistines (ver. 7-9), over whom God, in answer to his prayer,
gave them a glorious victory, ver. 10, 11. 4. In erecting a thankful memorial
of that victory, ver. 12. 5. In the improvement of that victory, ver. 13, 14.
6. In the administration of justice, ver. 15-17. And these were the things for
which God was preparing the designing him, in the early vouchsafements of his
grace to him.
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The
Ark at Kirjath-jearim.
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B.
C. 1099.
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1 And the men of
Kirjath-jearim came, and fetched up the ark of the LORD,
and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar
his son to keep the ark of the LORD.
2 And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjath-jearim, that the time
was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after
the LORD.
Here we must attend the ark to Kirjath-jearim, and then leave it there, to
hear not a word more of it except once (ch. xiv. 18), till David
fetched it thence, about forty years after, 1 Chron. xiii. 6.
I. We are very willing to attend it thither, for the men of Beth-shemesh have
by their own folly made that a burden which might have been a blessing; and
gladly would we see it among those to whom it will be a savour of life unto
life, for in every place where it has been of late it has been a savour
of death unto death. Now,
1. The men of Kirjath-jearim cheerfully bring it among them, v. 1. They
came, at the first word, and fetched up the ark of the Lord. Their
neighbours the Beth-shemites, were not more glad to get rid of it than they
were to receive it, knowing very well that what slaughter the ark had made at
Beth-shemesh was not an act of arbitrary power, but of necessary justice, and
those that suffered by it must blame themselves, not the ark; we may depend
upon the word which God hath said (Jer. xxv. 6), Provoke me not, and I will
do you no hurt. Note, The judgments of God on those who profane his
ordinances should not make us afraid of the ordinances, but of profaning them
and making an ill use of them.
2. They carefully provided for its decent entertainment among them, as a
welcome guest, with true affection, and, as an honourable guest, with respect
and reverence.
(1.) They provided a proper place to receive it. They had no public building
to adorn with it, but they lodged it in the house of Abinadab, which stood
upon the highest ground, and, probably, was the best house in their city; or
perhaps the master of it was the most eminent man they had for piety, and best
affected to the ark. The men of Beth-shemesh left it exposed upon a stone in
the open field, and, though it was a city of priests, none of them received it
into his house; but the men of Kirjath-jearim, though common Israelites, gave
it house-room, and no doubt the best-furnished room in the house to which it
was brought. Note, [1.] God will find out a resting-place for his ark; if some
thrust it from them, yet the hearts of others shall be inclined to receive it.
[2.] It is no new thing for God's ark to be thrust into a private house.
Christ and his apostles preached from house to house when they could not have
public places at command. [3.] Sometimes priests are shamed and out-done in
religion by common Israelites.
(2.) They provided a proper person to attend it: They sanctified Eleazar
his son to keep it; not the father, either because he was aged and infirm,
or because he had the affairs of his house and family to attend, from which
they would not take him off. But the son, who, it is probable, was a very
pious devout young man, and zealously affected towards the best things. His
business was to keep the ark, not only from being seized by malicious
Philistines, but from being touched or looked into by too curious Israelites.
He was to keep the room clean and decent in which the ark was, that, though it
was in an obscure place, it might no look like a neglected thing, which no man
looked after. It does not appear that this Eleazar was of the tribe of Levi,
much less of the house of Aaron, nor was it needful that he should, for here
was no altar either for sacrifice or incense, only we may suppose that some
devout Israelites would come and pray before the ark, and those that did so he
was there ready to attend and assist. For this purpose they sanctified him,
that is, by his own consent, they obliged him to make this his business, and
to give a constant attendance to it; they set him apart for it in the name of
all their citizens. This was irregular, but was excusable because of the
present distress. When the ark has but recently come out of captivity we
cannot expect it to be on a sudden in its usual solemnity, but must take
things as they are, and make the best of them.
II. Yet we are very loth to leave it here, wishing it well at Shiloh again,
but that is made desolate (Jer. vii. 14), or at least wishing it at Nob, or
Gibeon, or wherever the tabernacle and the altars are; but, it seems, it must
lie by the way for want of some public-spirited men to bring it to its proper
place. 1. The time of its continuance here was long, very long, above forty
years it lay in these fields of the wood, a remote, obscure, private place,
unfrequented and almost unregarded (v. 2): The time that the ark
abode in Kirjath-jearim was long, even till David fetched it thence. It
was very strange that all the time that Samuel governed the ark was never
brought to its place in the holy of holies, an evidence of the decay of holy
zeal among them. God suffered it to be so, to punish them for their neglect of
the ark when it was in its place and to show that the great stress which the
institution laid upon the ark was but typical of Christ, and those good
things to come which cannot be moved, Heb. ix. 23; xii. 27. It was a just
reproach to the priests that one not of their order was sanctified to keep the
ark. 2. Twenty years of this time had passed before the house of Israel was
sensible of the want of the ark. The Septuagint read it somewhat more clearly
than we do; and it was twenty years, and (that is, when) the whole
house of Israel looked up again after the Lord. So long the ark remained
in obscurity, and the Israelites were not sensible of the inconvenience, nor
ever made any enquiry after it, what has become of it; though, while it was
absent from the tabernacle, the token of God's special presence was wanting,
nor could they keep the day of atonement as it should be kept. They were
content with the altars without the ark; so easily can formal professors rest
satisfied in a round of external performances, without any tokens of God's
presence or acceptance. But at length they bethought themselves, and began to
lament after the lord, stirred up to it, it is probable, by the preaching of
Samuel, with which an extraordinary working of the Spirit of God set in. A
general disposition to repentance and reformation now appears throughout all
Israel, and they begin to look unto him whom they had slighted, and to
mourn, Zech. xii. 10. Dr. Lightfoot thinks this was a matter and time as
remarkable as almost any we read of in scripture; and that the great
conversion, Acts 2 and 3, is the only parallel to it. Note, (1.) Those that
know how to value God's ordinances cannot but reckon it a very lamentable
thing to want them. (2.) True repentance and conversion begin in lamenting
after the Lord; we must be sensible that by sin we have provoked him to
withdraw and are undone if we continue in a state of distance from him, and be
restless till we have recovered his favour and obtained his gracious returns.
It was better with the Israelites when they wanted the ark, and were lamenting
after it, than when they had the ark, and were prying into it, or priding
themselves in it. Better see people longing in the scarcity of the means of
grace than loathing in the abundance of them.
3 And Samuel spake unto
all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD
with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from
among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD,
and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the
Philistines. 4 Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and
Ashtaroth, and served the LORD
only. 5 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will
pray for you unto the LORD.
6 And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it
out before the LORD,
and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the LORD.
And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.
We may well wonder where Samuel was and what he was doing all this while, for
we have not had him so much as named till now, since ch. iv. 1, not as
if he were unconcerned, but his labours among his people are not mentioned
till there appears the fruit of them. When he perceived that they began to lament
after the Lord he struck while the iron was hot, and two things he
endeavoured to do for them, as a faithful servant of God and a faithful friend
to the Israel of God:--
I. He endeavoured to separate between them and their idols, for there
reformation must begin. He spoke to all the house of Israel (v.
3), going, as it should seem, from place to place, an itinerant preacher (for
we find not that they were gathered together till v. 5), and wherever
he came this was his exhortation, "If you do indeed return to the
Lord, as you seem inclined to do, by your lamentations for your departure
from him and his from you, then know, 1. That you must renounce and abandon
your idols, put away the strange gods, for your God will admit no
rival; put them away from you, each one from himself, nay, and put them from
among you, do what you can, in your places, to rid them out of the
country. Put away Baalim, the strange gods, and Ashtaroth, the strange
goddesses," for such also they had. Or Ashtaroth is particularly named
because it was the best-beloved idol, and that which they were most wedded to.
Note, True repentance strikes at the darling sin, and will with a peculiar
zeal and resolution put away that, the sin which most easily besets us.
2. "That you must make a solemn business of returning to God, and do it
with a serious consideration and a stedfast resolution, for both are included
in preparing the heart, directing, disposing, establishing, the heart
unto the Lord. 3. That you must be wholly for God, for him and no other, serve
him only, else you do not serve him at all so as to please him. 4. That
this is the only way and a sure way to prosperity and deliverance. Take this
course, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines; for
it was because you forsook him and served other gods that he delivered you
into their hands." This was the purport of Samuel's preaching, and it had
a wonderfully good effect (v. 4): They put away Baalim and Ashtaroth,
not only quitted the worship of them, but destroyed their images, demolished
their altars, and quite abandoned them. What have we to do any more with
idols? Hos. xiv. 8; Isa. xxx. 22.
II. He endeavoured to engage them for ever to God and his service. Now that he
had them in a good mind he did all he could to keep them in it.
1. He summons all Israel, at least by their elders, as their representatives,
to meet him at Mizpeh (v. 5), and there he promises to pray for them.
And it was worth while for them to come from the remotest part of the country
to join with Samuel in see king God's favour. Note, Ministers should pray for
those to whom they preach, that God by his grace would make the preaching
effectual. And, when we come together in religious assemblies, we must
remember that it is as much our business there to join in public prayers as it
is to hear a sermon. He would pray for them that, by the grace of God, they
might be parted from their idols, and that then, by the providence of God,
they might be delivered from the Philistines. Ministers would profit their
people more if they did but pray more for them.
2. They obey his summons, and not only come to the meeting, but conform to the
intentions of it, and appear there very well disposed, v. 6.
(1.) They drew water and poured it out before the Lord, signifying,
[1.] Their humiliation and contrition for sin, owning themselves as water
spilt upon the ground, which cannot be gathered up again (2 Sam. xiv. 14), so
mean, so miserable, before God, Ps. xxii. 14. The Chaldee reads it, They
poured out their hearts in repentance before the Lord. They wept rivers of
tears, and sorrowed after a godly sort, for it was before the Lord and with an
eye to him. [2.] Their earnest prayers and supplications to God for mercy. The
soul is, in prayer, poured out before God, Ps. lxii. 8. [3.] Their universal
reformation; they thus expressed their willingness to part with all their
sins, and to retain no more of the relish or savour of them than the vessel
does of the water that is poured out of it. They were free and full in their
confession, and fixed in their resolution to cast away from them all their
transgressions. Israel is now baptized from their idols, so Dr.
Lightfoot. [4.] Some think it signifies their joy in the hope of God's mercy,
which Samuel had assured them of. This ceremony was used with that
signification at the feast of tabernacles, John vii. 37, 38, and see Isa. xii.
3. Taking it in this sense, it must be read, They drew water after they had
fasted. In the close of their humiliation they thus expressed their hope
of pardon and reconciliation.
(2.) They fasted, abstained from food, afflicted their souls, so
expressing repentance and exciting devotion.
(3.) They made a public confession: We have sinned against the Lord, so
giving glory to God and taking shame to themselves. And, if we thus confess
our sins, we shall find our God faithful and just to forgive us our sins.
3. Samuel judged them at that time in Mizpeh, that is, he assured them, in
God's name, of the pardon of their sins, upon their repentance, and that God
was reconciled to them. It was a judgment of absolution. Or he received
informations against those that did not leave their idols, and proceeded
against them according to law. Those that would not judge themselves he
judged. Or now he settled courts of justice among them, and appointed the
terms and circuits which he observed afterwards, v. 16. Now he set
those wheels a-going; and, whereas he began to act as a magistrate, to prevent
their relapsing into those sins which now they seemed to have renounced.
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The
Israelites Attacked by the Philistines; Samuel's Intercession for
Israel.
B. C.
1099.
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7 And when the
Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh,
the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of
Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines. 8 And
the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the LORD
our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.
9 And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering
wholly unto the LORD:
and Samuel cried unto the LORD
for Israel; and the LORD
heard him. 10 And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering,
the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD
thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and
discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel. 11 And the
men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them,
until they came under Beth-car. 12 Then Samuel took a
stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it
Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD
helped us.
Here, I. The Philistines invade Israel (v. 7), taking umbrage from that
general meeting for repentance and prayer as if it had been a rendezvous for
war, and, if so, they thought it prudent to keep the war out of their own
country. They had no just cause for this suspicion; but those that seek to do
mischief to others will be forward to imagine that others design mischief to
them. Now see here, 1. How evil sometimes seems to come out of good. The
religious meeting of the Israelites at Mizpeh brought trouble upon them from
the Philistines, which perhaps tempted them to wish they had staid at home and
to blame Samuel for calling them together. But we may be in God's way and yet
meet with distress; nay, when sinners begin to repent and reform, they must
expect that Satan will muster all his force against them, and set his
instruments on work to the utmost to oppose and discourage them. But, 2. How
good is, at length, brought out of that evil. Israel could never be threatened
more seasonably than at this time, when they were repenting and praying, nor
could they have been better prepared to receive the enemy; nor could the
Philistines have acted more impolitely for themselves than to make war upon
Israel at this time, when they were making their peace with God. But God
permitted them to do it, that he might have an opportunity immediately of
crowning his people's reformation with tokens of his favour, and of confirming
the words of his messenger, who had assured them that if they repented God
would deliver them out of the hand of the Philistines. Thus he makes
man's wrath to praise him, and serves the purposes of his grace to his people
even by the malicious designs of their enemies against them, Mic. iv. 11, 12.
II. Israel cleaves closely to Samuel, as their best friend, under God, in this
distress; though he was no military man, nor ever celebrated as a mighty man
of valour, yet, being afraid of the Philistines, for whom they thought
themselves an unequal match, they engaged Samuel's prayers for them: Cease
not to cry unto the Lord our God for us, v. 8. They were here
unarmed, unprepared for war, come together to fast and pray, not to fight;
prayers and tears therefore being all the weapons many of them are now
furnished with, to these they have recourse. And, knowing Samuel to have a
great interest in heaven, they earnestly beg of him to improve it for them.
They had reason to expect it, because he had promised to pray for them
(v. 5), had promised them deliverance from the Philistines (v.
3), and they had been observant of him in all that which he had spoken to them
from the Lord. Thus those who sincerely submit to Christ, as their lawgiver
and judge, need not doubt of their interest in his intercession. They were
very solicitous that Samuel should not cease to pray for them: what military
preparations were to be made they would undertake them, but let him continue
instant in prayer, perhaps remembering that when Moses did but let down his
hand ever so little Amalek prevailed. O what a comfort is it to all believers
that our great intercessor above never ceases, is never silent, for he always
appears in the presence of God for us!
III. Samuel intercedes with God for them, and does it by sacrifice, v.
9. He took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt-offering, a whole
burnt-offering, to the Lord, and, while the sacrifice was in burning, with
the smoke of it his prayers ascended up to heaven for Israel. Observe, 1. He
made intercession with a sacrifice. Christ intercedes in the virtue of his
satisfaction, and in all our prayers we must have an eye to his great
oblation, depending upon that for audience and acceptance. Samuel's sacrifice
without his prayer would have been an empty shadow, his prayer without the
sacrifice would not have been so prevalent, but both together teach us what
great things we may expect from God in answer to those prayers which are made
with faith in Christ's sacrifice. 2. It was a burnt-offering, which was
offered purely for the glory of God, so intimating that the great plea he
relied on in his prayer was taken from the honour of God. "Lord, help thy
people now for thy name's sake." When we endeavour to give glory to God
we may hope he will, in answer to our prayers, work for his own glory. 3. It
was but one sucking lamb that he offered; for it is the integrity and
intention of the heart that God looks at, more than the bulk or number of the
offerings. This one lamb (typifying the Lamb of God) was more acceptable than
thousands of rams or bullocks would have been without faith and prayer. Samuel
was no priest, but he was a Levite and a prophet; the case was extraordinary,
and what he did was by special direction, and therefore was accepted of God.
And justly was this reproach put upon the priests because they had corrupted
themselves.
IV. God gave a gracious answer to Samuel's prayer (v. 9): The Lord
heard him. He was himself a Samuel, asked of God, and many a
Samuel, many a mercy in answer to prayer, God gave him. Sons of prayer should
be famous for praying, as Samuel was among those that call upon his name,
Ps. xcix. 6. The answer was a real answer: the Philistines were discomfited (v.
10, 11), totally routed, and that in such a manner as highly magnified the
prayer of Samuel, the power of God, and the valour of Israel. 1. The prayer of
Samuel was honoured; for at the very time when he was offering up his
sacrifice, and his prayer with it, the battle began, and turned immediately
against the Philistines. Thus while he was yet speaking God heard, and
answered in thunder, Isa. lxv. 24. God showed that it was Samuel's prayer and
sacrifice that he had respect to, and hereby let Israel know that as in a
former engagement with the Philistines he had justly chastised their
presumptuous confidence in the presence of the ark, on the shoulders of two
profane priests, so now he graciously accepted their humble dependence upon
the prayer of faith from the mouth and heart of a pious prophet. 2. The power
of God was greatly honoured; for he took the work into his own hand, and
discomfited them, not with great hail-stones, which would kill them (as Josh.
x. 11), but with a great thunder, which frightened them and put them into such
terror and consternation that they fainted away, and became a very easy prey
to the sword of Israel, before whom, being thus confounded, they were smitten.
Josephus adds that the earth quaked under them when first they made the onset
and in many places opened and swallowed them up, and that, besides the terror
of the thunder, their faces and hands were burnt with lightning, which obliged
them to shift for themselves by flight. And, being thus driven to their heels
by the immediate hand of God (whom they feared not so much as they had feared
his ark, ch. iv. 7), then, 3. Honour was put upon the hosts of Israel;
they were made use of for the completing of the victory, and had the pleasure
of triumphing over their oppressors: They pursued the Philistines, and
smote them. How soon did they find the benefit of their repentance, and
reformation, and return to God! Now that they have thus engaged him for them
none of their enemies can stand before them.
V. Samuel erected a thankful memorial of this victory, to the glory of God and
for the encouragement of Israel, v. 12. He set up an Eben-ezer, the
stone of help. If ever the people's hard hearts should lose the
impressions of this providence, this stone would either revive the remembrance
of it, and make them thankful, or remain a standing witness against them for
their unthankfulness. 1. The place where this memorial was set up was the same
where, twenty years before, the Israelites were smitten before the
Philistines, for that was beside Eben-ezer, ch. iv. 1. The sin which
procured that defeat formerly being pardoned upon their repentance, the pardon
was sealed by this glorious victory in the very same place where they then
suffered loss; see Hos. i. 10. 2. Samuel himself took care to set up this
monument. He had been instrumental by prayer to obtain the mercy, and
therefore he thought himself in a special manner obliged to make this grateful
acknowledgement of it. 3. The reason he gives for the name is, Hitherto the
Lord hath helped us, in which he speaks thankfully of what was past,
giving the glory of the victory to God only, who had added this to all his
former favours; and yet he speaks somewhat doubtfully for the future:
"Hitherto things have done well, but what God may yet do with us we know
not, that we refer to him; but let us praise him for what he has
done." Note, The beginnings of mercy and deliverance are to be
acknowledged by us with thankfulness so far as they go, though they be not
completely finished, nay, though the issue seem uncertain. Having obtained
help from God, I continue hitherto, says blessed Paul, Acts xxvi. 22.
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The
Defeat of the Philistines.
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B.
C. 1092.
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13 So the Philistines
were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of Israel: and the hand of
the LORD
was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. 14 And the
cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel,
from Ekron even unto Gath; and the coasts thereof did Israel deliver out of
the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the
Amorites. 15 And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his
life. 16 And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel, and
Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places. 17 And
his return was to Ramah; for there was his house; and there he
judged Israel; and there he built an altar unto the LORD.
We have here a short account of the further good services that Samuel did to
Israel. Having parted them from their idols, and brought them home to their
God, he had put them into a capacity of receiving further benefits by his
ministry. Having prevailed in that, he becomes, in other instances, a great
blessing to them; yet, writing it himself, he is brief in the relation. We are
not told here, but it appears (2 Chron. xxxv. 18) that in the days of Samuel
the prophet the people of Israel kept the ordinance of the passover with more
than ordinary devotion, notwithstanding the distance of the ark and the
desolations of Shiloh. Many good offices, no doubt, he did for Israel, but
here we are only told how instrumental he was, 1. In securing the public peace
(v. 13): "In his days the Philistines came no more into the
coast of Israel, made no inroads or incursions upon them; they perceived
that God now fought for Israel and that his hand was against the Philistines,
and this kept them in awe, and restrained the remainder of their wrath."
Samuel was a protector and deliverer to Israel, not by dint of sword, as
Gideon, nor by strength of arm, as Samson, but by the power of prayer to God
and carrying on a work of reformation among the people. Religion and piety are
the best securities of a nation. 2. In recovering the public rights, v.
14. By his influence Israel had the courage to demand the cities which the
Philistines had unjustly taken from them and had long detained; and the
Philistines, not daring to contend with one that had so great an interest in
heaven, tamely yielded to the demand, and restored (some think) even Ekron and
Gath, two of the capital cities, though afterwards they retook them; others
think some small towns that lay between Ekron and Gath, which were forced out
of the Philistines' hands. This they got by their reformation and religion,
they got ground of their enemies and got forward in their affairs. It is
added, There was peace between Israel and the Amorites, that is, the
Canaanites, the remains of the natives. Not that Israel made any league with
them, but they were quiet, and not so mischievous to Israel as they had
sometimes been. Thus when a man's ways please the Lord he maketh even his
enemies to be at peace with him and give him no disturbance, Prov. xvi. 7.
3. In administering public justice (v. 15, 16): He judged Israel;
as a prophet he taught them their duty and reproved them for their sins, which
is called judging, Ezek. xx. 4; xxii. 2. Moses judged Israel when he made
them know the statutes of God and his laws (Exod. xviii. 16); and thus
Samuel judged them to the last, even after Saul was made king; so he promised
them then, when Saul was inaugurated (ch. xii. 23), I will not
cease to teach you the good and the right way. As a magistrate, he
received appeals from the inferior courts and gave judgment upon them, tried
causes and determined them, tried prisoners and acquitted or condemned them,
according to the law. This he did all his days, till he grew old and past
service, and resigned to Saul; and afterwards he exercised authority when
application was made to him; nay, he judged even Agag, and Saul himself. But
when he was in his prime he rode the circuit, for the convenience of the
country, at least of that part of it which lay most under his influence. He
kept courts at Beth-el, Gilgal, and Mizpeh, all in the tribe of Benjamin; but
his constant residence was at Ramah, his father's city, and there he judged
Israel, thither they resorted to him from all parts with their complaints, v.
17. 4. In keeping up the public exercises of religion; for there, where he
lived, he built an altar to the Lord, not in contempt of the altar that was at
Nob, or Gibeon, or wherever the tabernacle was; but divine justice having laid
Shiloh waste, and no other place being yet chosen for them to bring their
offerings to (Deut. xii. 11), he looked upon the law which confined them to
one place to be for the present suspended, and therefore, being a prophet, and
under divine direction, he did as the patriarchs did, he built an altar where
he lived, both for the use of his own family and for the good of the country
that resorted to it. Great men should use their wealth, power, and interest,
for the keeping up of religion in the places where they live.
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