In order to understand correctly how far proof will arise from these passages of scripture, it will be necessary to consider the ground upon which the priesthood was established under the law; and likewise the reason and ground, upon which their maintenance was instituted: for it was all a work of perfect wisdom. And first, the dispensation of the law was outward and local; so likewise was the priesthood: none being eligible to that office but the family of Levi: and in consequence of their being appointed to that office, they were deprived of having their portion or allotment in the land; but the Lord was to be their portion: except that they were to have room for residence, and some suburbs about their dwellings, for their convenience. Their office was to kill and prepare the sacrifices which the people brought of their holy things, as offerings to the Lord; so that they were under the necessity of doing a great deal of manual labour for the people. Therefore, in order that they might have a livelihood among their brethren, the Lord had let one-twelfth, that is Levi’s lot, to farm among his brethren; and they were bound to return to their brethren, the Levites, one-tenth of their increase; to reward them not only for the abundant manual labour they were bound to do for them, but also in consideration of their having the improvement and profits arising from Levi’s portion of the promised land. Now to make a right bearing between the shadow and substance, and render it eligible under the gospel for its ministers to take pay, they must be such as are immediately called, as was the house of Levi; and be deprived of any allotment in the land, except room for residence, and some small suburbs: they must likewise be under the unavoidable obligation of doing a great deal of manual labour in outward things, or otherwise they are not entitled to any outward pay: and all this only as their duty to him, who hath called and appointed them, without making any contract with the people at all for their service; for this was not admissible under that dispensation: and all that did were reproached by the Lord’s prophets as hirelings. An instance to the point is the case of Micah, who had a house of idol gods; and he hired a Levite to be his priest, and gave him for his service ten shekels of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and his victuals. Indeed we have in this Levite a true specimen of a hireling; for when the Danites proposed to his consideration, which would be best for him, whether to be a priest to the house of one man, or to a tribe and family in Israel, he soon solved the question; and it made his heart glad, and he took Micah’s ephod, teraphim, and graven image, and added theft to covetousness; and went with the Danites, and became their idol priest.