Abolishing of Things Abused to Superstition and Idolatry, Tract · Section 1
Sect. 1.
THough God be the undoubted Lord and King of the World, having imperial and ſupreme Dominion over all Nations and Territories whatſoever, yet inregard he is a Spirit, and of a nature too high and holy, to be converſant in an ordinary and familiar way, with ſuch ſtupid, impure creatures, as the ſons of men are, he is pleaſed, (reſerving a due Prerogative, and conſtant Providence to himſelf) to commit the outward Government of it to perſons fitly qualified, and lawfully called thereunto. For the better management whereof, he hath framed many juſt and wholeſome Laws, ſet down in his Word, which he hath delivered into their hands, ſtrictly charging and commanding them to order all their administrations and proceedings, in a way anſwerable to the ſame. Though he ſet them on high, and give them preheminence and authority, over their brethren, yet he lets them know they have their Commiſſion from him, are his ſervants, and muſt be accountable to him; and upon this ground wills them to keep cloſe to the rule he hath given them to walk by, and to lay out themſelves with all integrity and diligence for him. And it is the property of all ſuch amongſt thoſe whom he thus deputes and entruſts, to do it. Conſidering what obligations of obedience and faithfulneſs they lye under, they employ themſelves, their parts, authority, intereſts, and all for him, endeavouring by all means to pleaſe him, and be ſerviceable to him. And in order hereunto they take care that his appointments be obſerved, that offenſive things be removed, that what is out of order be redreſſed, and that Religion be ſet up in its greateſt purity and vigour throughout their Dominions. An illuſtrious example hereof we have in this place in King Hezekiah, who no ſooner comes to the Throne, but he falls upon the work of Reformation, with all zeal and diligence. He does not only purge his Royal Palace, moſt lamentably defiled with his Fathers impurities, but he alſo cleanſes the Nation, which was in like manner over-ſpread therewith, aboliſhes ſtrange worſhip, deſtroys the Inſtruments and Monuments of Idolatry, and roots out whatever he finds contrary to the Law.
Having by this brief Prologue, lead you to the words, I ſhall, before I come to the point I intend to inſiſt on, ſay ſomewhat by way of Explication.
1. He removed the high Places. The word foreign is uſed in Scripture to denote two ſorts of high places, civil and religious. By the former, we are to underſtand ſuch places as being higher than ordinary,Deut. 33.29. Iſa. 58.14. Hab. 3.19. and above the common level, had ſtrong and ſtately buildings erected on them, both for defence and delight By the latter, we are to underſtand certain Mountains and Hills that the Iſraelites uſed to perform ſolemn Devotions and Services upon. That you may the better conceive of this, you are to note, that the ancient Patriachs, when neither Temple, Tabernacle, nor Synagogue was built, did by direction from God himſelf betake themſelves to ſuch places as theſe, to celebrate their Sacrifices, Prayers, Thankſgivings, Meditations, and ſuch like religious duties upon. Some places they muſt needs have for theſe uſes, and they rather made choice of theſe than other, both becauſe they were nearer to Heaven (to which every good man labours to get as nigh as he can) and were alſo freer from thoſe moleſtations and diſtractions, that places which are lower, and of common reſort, are lyable to. An instance of this, we have in Abram, Gen. 12.8.who in obedience to Gods command having left Ʋr of the Chaldees, the place of his Nativity, and being come to the Plain of Moreh, in the Land of Canaan, he removes from thence into a Mountain on the Eaſt of Bethel, and builds there an Altar to the Lord, and calls upon his Name. The like we find done by him and others, in other places. Gen. 22.2, 9.31.54.This courſe God was pleaſed to allow his people for a ſeaſon, till he had made choice of one peculiar place where he would cauſe his Name to dwell. And this is alledged as ſomething towards excuſing the peoples ſacrificing in the high places in the beginning of Solomons reign,1 Kings 3.2. that till then there was no houſe built to the Name of the Lord. But though it excus'd in part, yet not in whole, and that for this cauſe, that as ſoon as the Tabernacle was built, God expreſly forbad it: What man ſoever (ſaith he) there be of the houſe of Iſrael,Lev. 17.3, 4. that killeth an Oxe, or Lamb, or Goat, in the camp; or that killeth it out of the camp, and bringeth it not to the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation — Blood ſhall be imputed to him. Here he inſtructs the people concerning ſacrifice, which he limits two wayes.
1. In reſpect of the Perſon that was to kill and offer it, who was to be a Prieſt only. He ſpeaks not here of killing beaſts for common food, for that others might do, as their neceſſities required: But for ſacrifice, and that he will have none to do but the Priests. And this was a very prudent limitation, not only for the preſerving of order, but likewiſe for the preventing of Idolatry; for if every man amongſt that people who were ſo prone to that ſin, might have had liberty at pleaſure to have killed beaſts, and offered them, they would have turn'd almoſt every place into a Temple, every stone into an Altar, and every beaſt into a Sacrifice. For the prevention whereof, God makes this Ordinance, that whoſoever, or whenſoever any of the houſe of Iſrael was minded to offer a Sacrifice to him, he ſhould bring it to the Priest, and by him tender it to him.
2. In reſpect of the place, where it was to be kill'd and offer'd, and that was before the door of the Tabernacle. He would have the people not only take care that they uſurp'd not the Prieſts Office, but likewiſe that they brought their Sacrifices to the Tabernacle, which was the place he appointed them to have recourſe to,Pſ. 110.4. Heb. 9.11. Deut. 12.13. and ordain'd to be a ſpecial type of his Son, who is both our Prieſt and Tabernacle. Anſwerable to this is that we find in another place; take heed (ſaith he) to thy ſelf that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in every place that thou ſ…eſt, but in the place which the Lord ſhall chooſe in one of thy Tribes. It's true, he did after this, allow them in ſome ſpecial caſes to kill & offer in other places, 1 Sam. 11.15. 2 Sam. 24.18. 1 Kings 18.23.and they adventur'd upon it. Samuel did it in Gilgal, David on the threſhing floor of Araunah the Jebuſite, Elijah upon Carmel, and that without any reproof or blame, nay with eminent approbation and acceptance. But this I ſay was only in ſome ſpecial extraordinary caſes, wherein they were both directed, and moved by the Spirit of God himſelf (who may when, and as oft as he pleaſes, diſpence with his own Law) and ſo was no rule for ordinary practice. However the Iſraelites either miſunderſtanding the Law (which yet being ſo expreſs and clear, one would think they ſhould ſcarcely have done) or elſe out of a ſuperſtitious imitation of their Anceſtors, did not only after the building of the Tabernacle, but the Temple likewiſe, upon every trivial occaſion, betake themſelves to high places, 1 Kings 11.7. Apud Ethnicos quoque Zenonis Philoſophi & Stoicorum. &c. Hoſpin. de Orig. Temp. c. 1. p. 1. Mundus univerſus eſt templum Solis. Alexand. ab Alexandro, l. 2. c. 22. fol. 92.offer Sacrifice and worſhip in them. Solomon himſelf, who was the very man that built the Temple, and dedicated it to the peculiar uſe for which it was deſign'd, was guilty hereof; and ſo were many Kings both of Iſrael and Judah, to the high provokeing of God, and the drawing down of his juſt indignation and wrath upon them.
And if we conſult the Antient Heathens, we ſhall find that they took the ſame courſe: they did not ſtand to build Temples as latter ages have done, but betaking themſelves to the open Mountains, they there celebrated their devotions to their reſpective Deityes. Nay, they did not only not build Temples, but thought it unlawful to do it; the reaſon whereof was probably this, That worſhiping the Sun, which they look'd upon as their chief God, they thought no Temple would comprehend it: nay, they were ſo far from thinking they could build an Edifice ſuitable to it, that they accounted the whole world little enough to be a Temple for it. Hence that ſaying; the univerſal world is the Temple of the Sun. And though in after-times they fell to the uſe of Temples, yet they ſtill had them upon high places, from whence their Gods and Goddeſſes took their Names, as Jupiter Capitolinus, Mercurius Cyllenius, Venus Erycina, and the like. Whether the Heathens betook themſelves to theſe high places in imitation of the Jews, or the Jews in compliance with them, I ſhall not here inquire; certain it is that they both us'd them; and as certain that Hezekiah out of the zeal he bore to God, did ſo far as his Dominions extended remove them: which yet we are not to underſtand, as if he removed the Mouutains or Hills themſelves, but that he demoliſhed ſuch buildings and works, as were made upon them, for the carrying on of their Sacrifices, Oblations, and other Services there performed. The word foreign,See Buxt. in voc. Menoch. de Rep. Heb. l. 2. c. 7. as divers ſhew, do's not only ſignifie high or lofty places, taken ſtrictly, but alſo the Temples, Chappels, Altars, that were erected on them. Hence we find that ſome verſions of good authoritie, render it by words of ſuch particular ſignification. The Syriack renders it altaria; the Arabick, aras. In as much then, as it is ſaid that Hezekiah removed the high places, the meaning is, that he demoliſhed the Temples, Chappels, Altars, with ſuch other works as were made on them, whereby he rendered them for the future unfit for that ill uſe which was made of them.
2. He brake the Images. The word foreign which our Tranſlation renders Image, Pagnine, Montanus, Tremellius, Junius turn Statuas. Now Statues among the Iſraelites, were (as well as the high places) of two ſorts, Civil and Religious. The former were only pillars or heaps of ſtone, erected for preſerving the civil and neceſſary remembrance of perſons or things. Of this nature was that which Jacob ſet up over the Sepulchre of Rachel; and likewiſe that which he ſet up in remembrance of the Covenant he entred into with Laban: Gen. 35.20.31.45.And theſe were both lawful and commerdable. The latter were artificial repreſentations of God and Idols carved in wood, or cut in ſtone, or caſt in ſome metal, ſuch as Braſs, Silver, Gold, and after ſet up in high places. Temples, and elſewhere, for religious uſe. Of this ſort were the Images which the Souldiers of Jehu found in the houſe of Baal; 2 Kings 10.26.for ſuch was the ſuperſtition of the Iſraclites, that though God had told them he was a Spirit, 1 Kings 8.27. Deut. 4.15.19.infinite and incomprehenſible, and that he had not at ſuch times as he moſt ſolemnly ſpake to them, taken upon him any viſible form; and though he had charged them, and that in expreſs terms, over and over again, that they ſhould not make any Image of him, or any other thing, and for this reaſon, leſt they ſhould thereby be led to the worſhip of the Creature: Exod. 32.1.yet they would not be ſatisfied, but being a ſenſual people, would have ſuch Gods as they might ſee. Inſtead of contenting themſelves with that one God who had done ſuch great things for them, they muſt have many, and not only ſo, but they muſt have viſible repreſentations of them; they muſt have their Statues and Images which they ſet up in their high places and worſhipped. Now theſe were utterly uniawful, and therefore Hezekiah lighting on them, takes them and breaks them in pieces.
3. He cut down the Groves. Our tranſlation following the ſeptuagint and vulgar Latin, turn it in the piural form, Groves; but the wo… foreign is ſingular, and therefore Ing…ine, Montanus, and others, do render it by a word of that number. Though Hezekiah, 2 Chron. 31.1.as appears from what is elſewhere mentioned, cut down many Groves, yet there ſeems to have been one, that had ſome peculiar eminency in it above the reſt, which the Holy Ghoſt here ſpeaks with reference to. Though there were many Images in the houſe of Baal, 2 Kings 10.26.27.yet there was one that did in an eminent manner bear his name above the reſt; and ſo I conceive it was in this caſe: though there were many Groves that fell under Hezekiahs religious ſeverity, yet there was one that the Holy Ghoſt had his eye upon above the reſt, which he intends in this place. Now for the original of Groves, the antient Patriarchs, before God had limited his Church to any particular place of worſhip, ſeem to have been the firſt uſers of them. When they were minded to draw near to him,Gen. 18.4, 8.21.33. and wait on him in the more ſolemn diſcharge of duties, they betook themſelves to Groves. Thus Abram divers times. The advantages they received from theſe Groves were various; they ſecured them from the injuries of the weather, furniſhed them with wood for Sacrifice, (in the choice whereof,Gen. 22.3, 6. they were more than ordinarily curious, as ſeems to be held forth in Abrams carrying wood with him three dayes when he went to Moriah to offer Iſaac) and alſo rendred their devotions more private and reverent. In imitation of the Patriarchs, its likely the Heathens made uſe of them, in the ſervice of their Idols. The Cananites had of them in ſuch abundance, that almoſt whereſoever you find mention of their Idols, you find mention alſo of their Groves. From them the Iſraelites took them, and notwithſtanding all that God had ſaid to them to deſtroy them, and bring their Sacrifices to the Tabernacle, yet they frequented them, nay even doted on them. They termed the Prophets of the high places, 1 Kings 18.19.Prophets of the Groves: And further to expreſs their reſpect to them they made Images of them, which they removed from place to place, and upon all occaſions viewed with great delight. Amongſt other things that aggravated the folly, and wickedneſs of Manaſſes, this is one, that he ſet a graven Image of the Grove which he made,2 Kings 21.7. in the houſe of the Lord. And this makes plain that otherwiſe dark paſſage concerning Joſiah, that he brought out the grove, from the houſe of the Lord. Gen. 33.19. Job. 42.11.As the Holy Ghoſt ſtiles the pieces of Money that Jacob gave to the Children of Hamor, and Jobs relations gave to him, with the form of a Lamb impreſſed on them foreign Lambs, and the Medals that Demetrius made, with the form of Diana's Temple impreſſed on them,Acts 19.24. foreign Silver Temples or Shrines; ſo he here ſtiles that which was but an Image of the Grove, the Grove it ſelf. And not thinking it ſufficient to have the Images of them, they yeelded worſhip to them. They did not only ſerve the Idols that were in the Groves, but alſo foreign the Groves themſelves. Nay,Judg. 3.7. how they were beſotted with them, and what veneration they had them in, we may learn from the word foreign it ſelf, derived of foreign ſignifying bleſſedneſs; intimating that they counted them bleſſed things, ſought bleſſedneſs in them, and look'd upon themſelves in a ſort bleſſed, in the injoyment of them. But all their zeal to them, would not work Hezekiah to a liking of them; no, he was ſo far from that, that following the direction of the Law of Moſes; he cuts them down, Deut. 12.2.and levels them with the ground.
4. He brake in pieces the brazen Serpent: VVhat this brazen Serpent was, upon what account it was made, and what uſe it was of, you may learn from the Hiſtory of Gods proceedings with the Iſraelites in the VVilderneſs.Num. 21.4. As they journeyed from Mount Hor by the red Sea, to compaſs the Land of Edom, being diſtreſſed with the way, they fell to a reviling, not only of Moſes, but God himſelf, demanding (as they us'd to do in their froward murmuring fits) wherefore he brought them up out of Egypt to die in the Wilderneſs. Herewith God being provoked and diſpleaſed, ſends Serpents amongſt them,1 Cor. 10 9. which ſo bit and ſtung them, that many of them died. He ſures their puniſhment to their ſin. Their ſin was of an high and grievous nature, and their puniſhment was anſwerable; for they were not ordinary Serpents, they had to deal with; but ſuch as were of an unuſual heat and fierceneſs, whoſe ſting did ſo inflame and burn them, as if fire it ſelf had been got within them; for which cauſe the Holy Ghoſt calls them foreign fiery or burning Serpents. Now being in this diſtreſs, they go to Moſes confeſs their fault, & intreat his prayers for the removal of this ſad judgement, which he no ſooner puts up to God in their behalf, but he appoints him to make a fiery Serpent, that is, one like to burning fire, and ſet it upon a Pole before all Iſrael, promiſing that whoſoever was bitten and look'd up thereunto, ſhould be healed. Moſes forthwith obeys his command, makes a Serpent, ſets it upon a Pole, and ſuch as were ſtung, looking up, received the benefit promiſed.
It then being of ſo much uſe and advantage to them, there was good reaſon they ſhould both respect and preſerve it, which they not only did, daring their continuance in the Wilderneſs, but likewiſe after their ſettlement in the Land of Canaan, even down to the days of Hezekiah. But herein they miſs'd it, that not contenting themſelves with ſhewing what reſpect was due to it, as an inſtrument and and monument of their miraculous cure, they fell to burn incenſe to it, and worſhip it as if it had been a Deity; which evil Hezekiah taking notice of, labours to redreſs it, and in order thereunto takes it, and breaks it in pieces. Though he knew it was originally of Divine appointment,See Rainolds de Rom. Eccl. Idol. l. 1. c. 2. Sect. 2. p. 69. 72. was made by Moſes that eminent ſervant of God, was an inſtrument of many miraculous cures, and a Memorial of Gods great goodneſs ſhewed therein, and had continued ſo for a long ſeaſon; though he knew it might have been of great uſe to mind them of their former diſtreſs, and Gods great goodneſs ſhewed therein, and ſtir them up to love, thank, praiſe, and ſerve him; Nay though he knew it might have been a great means of winning others to their religion, was a type of Chriſt; yet when he ſaw they Idoliz'd it, he took it, and brake it in pieces. He deals not with it as Moſes dealt with Aarons Rod, lay it in the Tabernacle (for therein,M. Caw drey and Palmer Sabb. Rediv. part. 1. p. 51. notwithſtanding the common opinion, ſome judicious men think he put it, and not in the Ark) but takes it, and breaks it in pieces, and calls it Nehuſhtan. The Syriack and Arabick render the verb by our Tranſlation turned, called, in the plural form, as if, not Moſes but the Iſraelites, had called it Nehuſhtan; but the Hebrew foreign as evidently in the ſingular; and therefore Pagnine, Montanus, and the ſtream of good Interpreters render it by a word of that number.See A Lapid. in Num. 21 Eſtins in 2 Reg. 18 4. Rainolds de Idol. Rom Eccl. l. 1. c. 6. Sect. 5. p. 244. Rivet. vol. 3. Cath. Orth. p. 169. Now this Nebuſhtan is a diminutive from foreign ſignifying aenulum, or a little piece of braſs; ſo that Hezekiah in giving it this Name did as much, as if he had ſaid to the Jews, what a fooliſh people are yee? do you think ſuch a deſpicable thing as this, hath any Divinity in it? do yee think this is a God? do yee think this is fit to have incenſe burnt to it? Though God who can work glorious effects by the weakeſt and unlikelieſt inſtruments, was pleaſed for a time to accompliſh wonderful cures by it, yet you muſt not think it was able to do any ſuch thing it ſelf. It was no more able of it ſelf to do it, than Moſes ſtaff was able of it ſelf to fetch Water out of the Rock. It was no more able of it ſelf to afford relief to ſuch as were ſtung, than the very Pole was whereon it ſtood. Alas you are quite miſtaken in your apprehenſions of it: it is no ſuch thing as you judge it is; it is but a piece of ordinary Metal, it is nothing but a little piece of braſs.
And thus I have not only lead you to the words, but with what brevity I could conveniently, explained them to you. They contain a ſummary account of Hezekiahs proceedings in purging his Kingdom, and reſtoring true religion which had ſuffered ſo much in the days of his Father. Now what he is here ſaid to have done, being both approved and commended by God, and ſo having the force of a precept, I ſhall raiſe from the words this point.
That it is the will and pleaſure of God, Doct.that ſuch things as have been abuſed and polluted in ſuperſtitious and idolatrous ſervices, ſhould be aboliſhed and laid aſide. VVhen Hezekiah came to the Kingdom, and caſt his eyes upon the high places, images, groves, brazen ſerpent, with other things of that nature, and ſaw that they were abuſed and polluted in being made instruments of ſinful practices, he preſently falls upon them, and deſtroys them. He ſtands not making excuſes, and pleading that they were things in themſelves innocent and lawful; that though they were abuſed, it was not the fault of the things themſelves, but of the perſons the abuſed them; that they had been deviſed …d uſed in antient times, and that by good and holy men; or that if they were abuſed, care muſt be taken to ſeparate the abuſe from the uſe: I ſay he ſtands not reaſoning thus, as many, who wanting his ſpirit, do in the behalf of things of the like, nay of a more deſpicable Nature; but judging the aboliſhing of them the moſt proper and effectual way to ſecure the glory of God, and prevent the evil likely to be committed by them, he removes them, cuts them down, breaks them in pieces, and thereby rids his Kingdom of them: which will appear more remarkable if you conſider;
1.2 Kings 16.3. VVhat kind of perſon his Father Ahaz was; he was a ſuperſtitious, idolatrous, impious man, who declining the religious ſteps of his Father Jotham, forſook the Lord, walked in the way of the Kings of Iſrael, made his Son to paſs through the fire, ſacrific'd and burn'd incenſe in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree. So far was he from inheriting his Fathers vertues, that he proſtituted himſelf to all manner of wickedneſs, in the practice whereof, he grew in time to ſuch a degree of wilfulneſs and obſtinacy, that puniſhment it ſelf would not take him off it, but made him worſe; ſo that the more he was puniſhed, the more he transgreſſed. Hereof the Holy Ghoſt taking notice, was ſo highly diſpleaſed with him, that he hath ſtigmatiz'd him with a mark of perpetual infamy, and hang'd him up, as it …e in chains, that ſo all who read the Scriptures may tremble before Divine Juſtice, and carefully avoid the ſins he was guilty of;2 Chron. 28.22. This (ſaith he) is that King Ahaz. Hereby you ſee what kind of a perſon Hezekiahs Father was; he was a man of prodigious wickedneſs, a meer vaſſal and ſlave to his luſts, idols, nay to the Devil himſelf. And how hard a thing is it for a Son to be good that hath been brought up in the family of ſuch a Father? The pravity and corruption we derive from our Parents is ſo ſtrong and prevalent, that we readily cloſe with ſuch inſtructions and examples as are bad, but vigorouſly decline thoſe which are good; ard therefore for a good Father to have a bad Son, is not much to be thought at; but for a bad Father to have a good Son, is no leſs than a wonder. What a wonder then have we here before us?Ʋt hic omnes Reges Judae impietate ſuperavit, ſic ille pietate excelluit. in loc. Joh. 3.8. For there was not any King of Judah that had a worſe Father than Hezekiah had of Ahaz, nor any Father that had a better Son than Ahaz had of Hezekiah. As the one (ſaith Pareus) exceeded all the Kings of Judah in impiety, ſo the other exceeded them in piety. What therefore he did, is not to be aſcribed to Nature, which in him, muſt needs be ſuppos'd to lye under the greateſt diſadvantages, but to the ſpirit of God, who like the wind blows where he liſts, and works where and how he pleaſes.
2. What order the Court and Kingdom were in when his Father died. His Father reigned ſixteen years, during which time, he proſecuted his ſinful courſes with great zeal and diligence, omitting nothing whereby he might corrupt his people, and alienate them from the ways of God. And what influence this had upon them, its eaſie to imagine. Which way ſoever the great Cedars fall, they tear the litttle ſhrubs with them. Such as the King is, ſuch is the Kingdom. If Rehoboam forſake the Law of the Lord, all Iſrael do's ſo too.2 Chron: 12.1. If Alexander carry his head on the one ſide, his Souldiers do the like. Ahaz therefore reigning ſixteen years, and being ſo wicked as he was, we may well ſuppoſe the Court and Kingdom were in a ſad condition, when Hezekiah came to the Crown.
3. What condition the ten Tribes that were ſo near to the Jews, both in reſpect of alliance and habitation, were then in. Idolatry was not only permitted amongſt them,1 Kings 12.32. but eſtabliſhed by a royal ordinance, bearing date from the days of Jeroboam down to this very time,See Helv. Theat. Hist. p. 44.54. Labbe de ſcript. Eccl. p. 460.462. which, according to the judgement of Chronologers, was betwixt two and three hundred years. And this we may well think would be matter of no good conſequence to the Jews, who were ſo exceeding prone to it of themſelves; but would make them willinger to cloſe with it when it came among them, and lother to part with it, after they had yeilded to it.
4. What age Hezekiah was, when he ſet upon this great and eminent work: he was then but twenty five years old; and at that age, dayly obſervation tells us, men, eſpecially they that are of ſuch high birth and education, as Princes and Nobles be, are commonly addicted to thoſe youthful exerciſes, recreations and delights, that further progreſs in years, uſes to wean them from. Then Nature is ſtrong and heady, and hard to be kept within its banks. How pious and upright was Job? Job. 13.26. Pſal. 25.7.How holy and faithful was David? yet in their Youth they did not govern and carry themſelves as they ſhould, but brake forth into ſuch extravagancies, as lay heavy upon them in after years. That Hezekiah then ſhould undertake, and carry on this great work, when he was at ſuch an age, adds much to the glory and luſtre of it.
5. What time of his reign it was that he undertook it; it was the firſt year thereof, the firſt month of the year,2 Chron. 29.3.17. nay the very first day of the Month. He ſacrificed not only the prime of his days, but of his reign to the ſervice of God. When a man would have thought he ſhould rather have found him in his Palace, congratulating himſelf in his Kingly dignity, feaſting with his Nobles, and entertaining the cheerful acclamations of his joyful people, we have him in the Temple purging out his Fathers ſuperſtition and idolatry: which holy speed renders his undertaking highly commendable. To have ſet upon ſuch a work only the firſt month of his reign, had been praiſe-worthy, but to do it the very day of his Coronation, is praiſe-worthy indeed.
6. It was a work that none, in many material and weighty reſpects had ingag'd in before him. Aſa, Jehoſaphat, 1 Kings 15.14.22.43. 2 Kings 10.27.and others did ſomewhat towards the aboliſhing of Images and Idols, but for the high places, the groves, and the brazen Serpent, they ſtirr'd them not. As for ſuch things as were both of bad original and bad uſe, thoſe they removed; but as for ſuch as were of good original, and bad uſe, as thoſe I now nam'd, they medled not with them.
You ſee then Hezekiah had many and great impediments to this holy undertaking. His Father (whom in regard of his natural deſcent from him, he could not chooſe but reverence) had followed ſtrange Gods all his days; the Kingdom had generally complyed with him; the ten Tribes their near Neighbours and Brethren, had not only given themſelves to Idolatry, but had continued in it ſo long that they could plead preſcription: Hezekiah himſelf was a young man, in the prime and flower of his youth, and ſo likelier to be carried away after pleaſures, than to mind matters of religion; and which is none of the leaſt, the work he was to undertake, was ſuch in divers reſpects, as none of his Ancestors, how wiſe or good ſoever, had ingaged in. Notwithſtanding all this, being acted by a spirit of Heroick and Princely zeal, he ſets upon it, and proſecutes it with bleſſed vigor and ſucceſs. Thus much I thought good to ſuggeſt ere I went any farther, to ſhew the difficulties and diſcouragements that attended this work, and how eminently Hezekiahs zeal brake forth in the undertaking and management of it.