sanctified the house of the LORD in eight days; and in the sixteenth day of the first month they made an end.

vessels thereof, and the shewbread table, with all the vessels thereof.

19 Moreover all the vessels, 18 Then they went in to He- which king Ahaz in his reign zekiah the king, and said, We did cast away in his transgreshave cleansed all the house of sion, have we prepared and sancthe LORD, and the altar of tified, and, behold, they are beburnt offering, with all the fore the altar of the LORD. LECTURE 707.

Of restoring divine service throughout our land.

Though the doors of God's houses have not been wilfully shut up amongst us, they have not been opened as frequently, or as widely, as they ought. Our temples of Christian service, and the services performed in them, have not been multiplied in proportion to the increase of our people. And the churches which we have had of old, are often closed to numbers who would gladly use them, by the rights of some few owners who seldom resort to them. Happy are they who help to open these doors and to multiply the doors to be opened! Happy Happy are they who help to bring in the ministers of the Gospel, to preach it where before it was not heard, to officiate in the services of the church where before they were not administered, and to bring it to pass, that in the places" where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God!" Rom. 9. 26.

This is a work to which our sovereigns might do well to stir up our bishops, priests, and deacons. This is a work to which all orders in the ministry of the church ought faithfully to stir up all orders in the state. Urgently let them say unto each other, "Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel." Earnestly let all set to work, to rectify the trespass of those amongst our fathers, who "turned away their faces from the habitation of the Lord, and turned their backs." Time was when no one could absent himself continually from divine service, without being noted, and questioned for his negligence, and reproved for his sin. Now thousands resort to strange worship, and divide the kingdom of Christ against itself; whilst millions amongst us worship nowhere. Oh what foul uncleanness in the temple is this which we make with our divisions! Oh how are the lamps put out, and the incense not burned, where prayers and praise are never offered unto God, and where the light of his Gospel is never made to shine upon the benighted souls of his creatures! Oh what would be the joy, and glory of our land, if we should ever be all united in one communion; and if the ministers of our church should be ever able to report of the multitudes now perishing in their sins, that they are prepared and sanctified for God's service, "and, behold, they are before the altar of the Lord!"

Hezekiah's sacrifices.

was ended, and until the other and the drink offerings for every priests had sanctified them- burnt offering. So the service selves for the Levites were of the house of the LORD was more upright in heart to sanc- set in order. tify themselves than the priests. 35 And also the burnt offer- all the people, that God had ings were in abundance, with prepared the people for the the fat of the peace offerings, thing was done suddenly.

36 And Hezekiah rejoiced, and

LECTURE 708.

God's converting grace.

When all things were ready in the temple, the next care of Hezekiah was to sanctify or consecrate the worshippers, by the offering of due sacrifices unto God. For this purpose he "rose early, and gathered the rulers of the city, and went up to the house of the Lord." And there he offered "a sin offering for the kingdom, and for the sanctuary, and for Judah." And the priests having slain the several animals, "made reconciliation with their blood upon the altar, to make atonement for all Israel; for the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering should be made for all Israel." A remarkable proof of the interest which this good king felt in all his brethren according to the flesh! And an interesting circumstance in the history of the ten rebellious tribes; that now, when they were on the point of national destruction, a sin offering should yet once more be made in their behalf, on the long neglected altar at Jerusalem.

When all had thus consecrated themselves unto the Lord, the king invited them to come near, and bring sacrifices and thank offerings, which otherwise they could not properly have offered. And after mention of the sacrifices then offered, so many that the priests were too few to prepare the numerous burnt offerings, it is added, that "Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people for the thing was done suddenly." This was indeed a marvellous change for a whole people to undergo in so short a time. And since this was a proof that God had prepared the minds of the people, it was a good reason to rejoice and to be thankful unto Him. And does it not point out to us the only way in which we can reasonably hope, that any great impression can be made upon the mass of our own people, to bring them to the reality of the faith which they profess? Yes; God must prepare their hearts. And as for us, our first care must be to pray that He will do so. Whilst we spare no effort, and neglect no probable means, we must beware of reckoning too much on our own exertions. We must look to the help and grace of God, as the only means that can with safety be relied upon. And we must remember, that as God's help is won by prayer, so in this weighty matter of converting those who have erred from the truth, whilst other human means can do but little, "the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." James 5. 16.

Hezekiah keepeth the passover.

1 And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel.

2 For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month. 3 For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.

4 And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation. 5 So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beer-sheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem for they had not done it of a long time in such sort as it was written. 6 So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.

7 And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, which trespassed against the LORD God of their fathers, who therefore gave them up to desolation, as ye see.

8 Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the LORD, and

enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the LORD your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you.

9 For if ye turn again unto the LORD, your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him. 10 So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them. 11 Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.

12 Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to do the commandment of the king and of the princes, by the word of the LORD.

13 And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation.

14 And they arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they away, and cast them into the brook Kidron.

15 Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt offerings into the house of the LORD. 16 And they stood in their place after their manner, according to

the law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the blood, which they received of the

hand of the Levites.

17 For there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified: therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the passovers for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the LORD.

18 For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, the good LORD pardon

every one

19 That prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.

20 And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people. 21 And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the LORD. 22 And Hezekiah spake com

fortably unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the LORD: and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and making confession to the LORD God of their fathers.

23 And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and they kept other seven days with gladness.

24 For Hezekiah king of Judah did give to the congregation a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave to the congregation a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep; and a great number of priests sanctified themselves.

25 And all the congregation of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the congregation that came out of Israel, and the strangers that came out of the land of Israel, and that dwelt in Judah, rejoiced.

26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem.

27 Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy dwelling place, even unto heaven. LECTURE 709.

That God is willing to hear and to forgive.

It was not in vain then that Hezekiah had made mention of all Israel, in his great sacrifice of expiation. See Ch. 29. 24. God had prepared some in that kingdom also, who were willing to turn to Him. And though they might not all be purified in strict conformity to the ceremonies of the Law, God was willing to pardon this in those who sought Him heartily. And though this passover could not be kept till the second month instead of the first, still God vouchsafed to hear the voice of prayer and praise, which "came up to his holy dwelling place even unto heaven." So willing is He to hear; so willing to forgive! Oh that we were in proportion diligent to pray, and forward to repent!

PART IV. 0. T.

Y y