CHAPTER XIX. 495 seed ? A. When they were thus secure and.confident of success, Judas and his brethren assembled in Mizpah, fasted, put on sackcloth, laid open the book of the law before God where the heathens had painted their images, cried mightily unto God for help, sounded the trumpets, brought the army into order, and prepared for battle and for death, unless God pleased to make them conquerors. 6. Q. What was the event of so much zeal and courage? A. Judas and his army putto flight and destroyed several large parties that Lysias had sent against him, they drove the enemy out of -Jerusalem, and almost out of the land of Judea, and took a very large booty both-from the army and the mer- chants. 7. Q. What was the first work that Judas and his people applied themselves to upon this great success ? A. They went up into mount Sion, and when they saw the sanctuary desolate, the altar profaned, the gates burned up, shrubs and grass grow - ing in the courts of the temple, they rent their clothes, fell down upon their faces, and made great lamentation with humble cries to heaven. 8. Q. Had they power and time to repair the temple, and restore the worship of God ? A. Yes, they applied themselves to the work with all diligence, they sought out priests of blame- less conversation to cleanse the sanctuary, they pulled down the altar of burnt- offering, because the heathen had defiled it, they built a new altar as the law directs with whole stones, they made new holy vessels, the altar of incense, the table, and the can- dlesticks, all of gold, which they had taken from their enemies, and they set all the parts of divine worship in order again, and offered sacrifice according to the law. 9. Q. How did they kindle the sacred fireon the altar ? A- Having lost the fire which came down from heaven, which was kept burning on the altar at Jerusalem before the Baby- knish captivity, they struck fire with flints, and so kindled the sacrifices and the lamps; 2 Maccab. x. 3. Note, We do not read that the second temple ever had this sacred fire ; the story of Jeremiah'shiding it, in 2 Maccab. chap- ter, i. is counted a mere fable. 10. Q. Was there any thing remarkable in the time or day of this restoration of temple-worship ? A. That very day three years wherein the heathen had profaned the altar by the offering of unclean beasts on it, it was dedicated with songs, and harps, and cymbals, and burnt-offerings of God'a appointment, and that for eight days together. This was two years after Judas had the chief command, and three. years and a half after the city and temple had been laid desolate by Apollonius. 11. Q. What lasting memorial was appointed for this re-
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