A fresh suit against human ceremonies in God's worship. Or a triplication unto. D.…A fresh suit against human ceremonies in God's vvorship. Or a triplication unto. D.…

3. Because the Def. did make this one ground of denying our consequence from Hezekias zeal against the monuments of Idolatry, that He did not abolish the Idols which Solomon suffered to be set up in favour of his strange wives; because they were (at that time) neglected Idols. It was replied, that it may well be thought, they were destroyed by Hezekiah, and set up again before the time of Josiah. This the Rej. calleth rashness to be repented of: because it is said (2. Reg. 23.13.) that Josiah destroyed those high places, which Solomon had set up. And was it such a rashness, to say that it may be thought so? the phrase is more modest then theirs, who peremptorily affirm those Idols to have been neglected until after Hezekias time; when the Scripture testifieth plainly, that Ahaz, ¹Hezekiah his father, worshipped Moloch (which was one of those Idols) by making his son to pass through the fire; and was so madly given to superstition, that he sacrificed under every green tree. 2. Reg. 16. Nay less was said, then some learned have with great probability affirmed: namely, that these Idols with their appurtenances were first defaced by Solomon himself, after his repentance; and being restored after by Idolaters, were again defaced. Salianus (in his Annals ad an, 3309.) saith thus: We think also that while Solomon lived, that whole shop of devils was broken up and ruined. And withal, the statues, the groves, and altars, as also the rest of idolatrous monuments 2. King. 23.13. to have reference to Manasseh and Ammon (who had set them up in the same place, and upon the same foundation) and not to Solomon, who died ⟨p. 397⟩250. years before. ²It is incredible to speak that when Asa, Jehoshaphat, and Ichoiada did far and near destroy idolatry, they notwithstanding suffered a scandal so apparent. And to the year 3406. it were very strange if those Idols after 350. years, should yet remain, the which Solomon after his repentance, and other good Kings had abolished. So that it is probable that such like temples and Idols were repaired, and built up again by other succeeding ungodly Kings, which Solomon in former time had made: that that which Solomon builded should be all one with such like as he had builded.