He will break down their Altars
He will break down their Altars.
Why, they were convinced before of the evil of them, for so in the former words, Now shall they be found guilty, they shall acknowledg themselves guilty in contending so much for them. Well, but says God, though you are convinced of your guiltiness, yet that's not enough, I'll break them down, for otherwise if they do remain, they may be snares to you afterwards.
From where then the note is: That though men be convinced of an evil, yet if the temptation shall still abide, they will be ready to fall to it again. Therefore to prevent that evil, the temptations are to be taken away as much as we can, (says he) I will take away the temptation; you acknowledg your selves guilty when my hand is upon you, but you will fall to it again if the temptation be not taken away.
Thirdly, superstitious altars and images are to be taken away. It's the magistrate's work to take away those that are in public place; but I have met with that heretofore, and I shall not need to speak of it now, only for you to meet with any superstitious pictures and images, you must not keep them and say, what hurt will these do? Though they do not hurt now, yet they may do hurt afterwards, you are not to sell and make advantage of them, but do as God does, break them down and spoil them, that they may not hereafter be snares to any others.
Fourthly, those things that we give that respect to, which is God's due, are liable to the stroke of God. They gave respect to their altars and images that was due to God, God's Spirit rises against that, I'll break them down and spoil them says God. So, whatever it be that you give that respect to, that God challenges to himself, you may expect that God will spoil them and break them down. If you give respect to your estates, that's due to God, you may make an idol of them, expect that God will break them; yes, to your children, your names, your bodies, parts, whatever you have, that you rob God of that respect that's due to him, and give it to them, expect that God will break such things.
Fifthly, if it be God's will to break down that which is evil in his worship, let us take heed that we have no hand to set it up, that we do not endeavor to set up false worship, for it's in God's heart to break it down, let us not set up idols in our hearts neither, or else where.