The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Chronicles — Section 281

temple, if not within its outer court (Thenine, Berthea11), rather than on a different elevation (Bahr). Its proximity to the temple would account for its havin" become so e:ion a prey to popular fury, as when building its vicinity to the temple ;uggested the idea of tearing down the temple walls for stones to construct it (eh. xxiv. 7). Now n day of Nemesis had dawned for it, as similar days bad already overtaken its builders. Its walls and pillarA, altars and images, were shattered in pieces. Compare the destruc- tion of the Roman Catholic edifices in Perth on May 11, 1559, after a sermon by Knox. '"!'he congregation nn the church of St. John's] was still uadispersed, when a priest came in, went up to ihe altar, opened the tabernacle, and prepared to say Mass. A boy who was present said something insolent. The priest struck him; and the boy, snatch- ing up a stone, fluag it at the crucifix, which fell broken to the ground. The common instinct shot through the gathered crowd; altar, ornaments, images, in a few moments lay in ruins on the chancel floor. The saints were flung from their niches, the storied windows dashed in atoms. Then the cry rose, 'To the Grey friars!' and in an hour or two the poor monks, started from their noonday dinner, were adrift upon the world, and their homes going up in smoke and flame into the sky" (Froude's 'History of England,' vol. vi. pp. 228, 229). "For a day or two after Knox preached his famous sermon, the besom of destruction was exceedingly busy in and about the fair city. Somebody-perha.ps Knox himself-had remarked that ' if the nests were pulled down the rooks would fly away;' and so all hands were laid to the nests. Popular fury raged uncontrollably. '!'he monasteries and chapels which had given stately adornment to the city and its environs were reduced to ruins, only the bare and broken walls remain- ing, and most of these gaunt ,vrecks speedily disappeared" (Fittis's 'Ecclesiastical Annals of Perth,' 1885, p. 81). 2. The priest of Baal slain. Mattan the "priestling" (the Targum), having attempted to lead the people astray, had incurred the penalty of death (Deut. xiii. 9), which was summarily inflicted, perhaps as Moses had directed, by stoning him beside the altars at which he had served. Compare the murder of •Zecbariah by Joash's minions in the later years of his reign (eh. xxiv. 20). III. WORSHIP-REFORMING. (Vers. 18, 19.) 1. Irregularities corrected. The offices of the house of the Lord with reference to burnt offerings were arranged in accordance with the prescriptions of the Law of Moses. No worship was acceptable under the Hebrew economy that did not adhere to the regulations of that divinely inspired ritual; no worship is acceptable under the gospel dispensation that departs from the rubric laid down by Jesus in his sermon at the well (John iv. 24). 2. Impurities prevented. Watchers were established at the temple gates, that none should enter in who were in any respect unclean, i.e. ceremonially defiled. Under the Law such persons were separated from the congregation (Numb. xix. 20; Lev. xi. 24; xxii. 5), and, until they were purified, could take no part in the solemnities of Divine worship. The truth therein symbolized was that worship derives its quality from the character of the worshipper. An unclean Israelite could not render acceptable worship to a God holy as Jehovah was. Not until an atonement had been offered for his trespass by the officiating priest, and his body had been washed in pure water, could he take his place in the congregation of them who had a right to draw near to Jehovah. And neither can any render acceptable worship under the gospel who do not do so on the basis of an atonement offered for them by the great High Priest over the house of God, and with the Heaven-inspired emotions of a renewed life, "with hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and bodies washed with pure water" (Heb. x. 19-22). 3. Hilaritiea superadded. '!'hat the service of Jehovah was designed to be a perennial fount of joy for Jehovah's people was understood and proclaimed by Moses (Deut. xxxiii. 29). Until David's time this was not so widely apprehended as might have been expected. 'l'he second king of Israel, however, discerned with penetrating vision that the worship of Jehovah should ever be accompanied with gladness (Ps. v. 11; xxxii. 11; h:viii. 3; lxxxix. 15, 16; c. 1, 2); and in order to express this idea, with the concurrence and approval of the captains of the host, he "separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, those who should prnphesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals" (1 Chron. xxv. 1). During the reigns of J eboram, Ahaziah, antl. Athaliah this part of the Divine service had been discontinued. When Joash acceded to the throne it was restored. So should Christians always serve God "with singing and rejoicing;" and this they will do in proportion as they are filled with that Spirit  282 THE SECOND BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES, [au. xx1v. 1-27.