ver exifted, till after the Babylonish captivity; but the inftitution and continuance of the Sanhedrim, both civil and ecclefiaftic, are as plain as thofe of many other things which were ncver difputed *. Others grant, that there was fuch a court as the Sanhedrim; but deny that ever any diftinction exifted between the civil and ecclefiaftic. It had been happy for their fcheme had they established it on a proper foundation, and given a folid anfwer to the arguments of their opponents; but, as thefe have not yet been done, we may expect to be excufed from giving in to it. Jehoiada was prcfident of the ecclefiaftic Sanhedrim only; and if he did any thing in the fupreme council of ftate, his actions were certainly extraordinary; but not more fo than his circumftances; and fuch circumftances call for uncommon exertions every age. The office of High-prieft obliged Jehoiada, doubtlefs, to preferve the temple inviolate; nor did his arrangement of the pecple amount to any prostitution of it to fecular purposes For it is well known that there was a court, in this facred edifice, allotted to the members of the congregation; and, when clean, it became them to approach God by entering into it accordingly. And the people kept their awful diftance from the Holy of Holies, as is evident from the charge which was given them in * Vid. contra Synh. Conringium de Republic. Hebraor. 22. Vorft. de Synh. Pro Synh. SELDEN. DRUSIUM LEUSDEN, CUNEUM. on on this occafion, which they readily obeyed. Upon the whole, inftead of ambition and treafonable practices, fagacity, activity, and facred zeal for the authority and vigour of the law, both in Church and State, formed the character of this High-priest. THIRDLY, The SUBSTANCE of this Covenant deferves now to be confidered. There were two distinct covenants executed at this time, a civil and a facred one. They are diverfified thus, A covenant between the Lord, and the King and people, that they should be the Lord's people: And a covenant between the King and the people: But the civil one, which obtained at the King's coronation, is the fubject of difcourfe at this time. THE grant which God made to this people was the fame as in the days of David and Solomon, and Afa, &c. The fame promifes and ordinances being continued among them. By thefe God acknowledged them as his people: And, fecing they were dignified with this honour, they could not do lefs than acknowledge themfelves fuch, to the praife of his grace. They covenanted to be THE LORD'S PEOPLE. This is a concife, but comprehenfive view of their facred bond; which muft include every duty that the law enjoined. It bound them, in particular, unto all thofe duties which their peculiar circumstances pointed out unto them. What What would God require at the hand of his people, at a time when his enemies did every thing in their power to fruftrate his promife refpecting the feed-royal in the family of David? What would he have them to do, at a time when the worship of Baal was celebrated with every degree of fplendour and magnificence; and that of the true God fuppreffed? When the altar of Baal was erected in the temple of the Most High God; and that of Jehovah cast down? - When the confciences of fuch as worshipped the Lord God of Ifrael were oppreffed, and their most facred rights violated? Would he not have them to fet THE SEED OF DAVID on the throne of his father,-rcpair the altar of the Lord,-purify his temple, -break down every monument of idolatry,as well as avow their allegiance to the Most High? FOURTHLY, The OCCASIONS of this Covenant are the next branch of this fubject. 1. THAT reformation, which advanced by covenant-renovation in the days of Afa, had made confiderable progrefs under the aufpicious reigns of both Afa and Jehoshaphat. The reigns of thefe two princes, taken together, lafted about fixty years; and reformation, on the whole, was favoured and protected by them all the while; a thing feldom known in the Jewish, or any other church. The steps. by which religion advanced were, Firft, He took away the HIGH PLACES and GROVES, as well as brake down the monuments of idolatry. The learned are not quite agreed as to the meaning of the terms; fo far as we can form a judgment of them, they were of two kinds: One fpecies of them was destined to the purposes of idolatry; and the other facred to the Most High God. With refpect to those high places, which were feats of idolatry, there is not the leaft ground of doubt but that Jehofhaphat demolished them. This diftinction may ferve to remove the feeming difficulty: Where, on the one hand, it is faid, "He took away the high places and the groves:" On the other, "Howbeit, the high places were not taken away *.” The former importing fuch as had been proftituted to the purposes of idolatry: The latter fuch as had been facred * to 2 Chron. xvii. 6. compared with 2 Chron. xx. 33. No one thing is more certain than that there were high places and groves confecrated to idols: And it is equally plain, that good men worshipped the living God in high places. "The grand difficulty is, how to reconcile their facrificing in other places befides the national altar; as, Gideon, at Ophrah; Manoah, in the country of Dan; Samuel, at Mifpeh, and Bethlehem, &c. with the Law, "Take heed to thy felf, that thou offer not thy burnt-offerings in every place that thou feeft. But in the place which the Lord thy God fhall choose, there thalt thou offer thy burnt-offerings, and there shalt thou do all that I command thee," Deut. xii. 13, 14. The beft folution, I apprehend, is, That it was done by special divine direction 'and command, God having an un doubted to the true God. Or, if this do not fuffice, the up Again, Jehoshaphat stirred up the Levites. to diligence in giving inftructions to the people: "And they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the Lord with them: and went about through all the cities of Judah, and taught the people."Thirdly, He reftored the courts of judicature, both civil and facred, which had gone into difuetude : "In Jerufalem did Jehoshaphat set of the Levites, and of the priests, and of the chief fathers of Ifrael, for the judgment of the Lord, and for controverfies.-Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of the Lord; and Zebadiah the fon of Ifhmael, the ruler of the houfe of Judah, for all the King's matters." These were bound to infpect the morals of the people; and their care feems to have been crowned with a bleffing. doubted right to fuperfede his own pofitive laws when he pleases; and, as this is exprefsly afferted to have been done in David's cafe, mentioned 1 Chron. xxi. 18. it may the more reafonably be fuppofed in all the reft." JENNINGS, Vol. II. p. 92. K kk 2 2. THE |