2 Kings 22

Thus in the fifth commandment, obedient children are promised by God long life, as a reward for honoring their Parents. Now when he takes them away in their best age, as he did Josiah, 2 Kings 22:10, he gives them eternal life, which is not only proportionable, but far exceeding…

1. Their knowledge and cunning is great, they have much natural and experimental knowledge, so as they can discern hidden causes, and virtues which scape the flight of mans reason and understanding; they know how to apply active to passive things, can guess notably at future eve…

Reason 2. 2 Kings 22:20: Huldah the prophetess tells Josiah that he must be gathered to his fathers and put in his grave in peace, that his eyes may not see all the evil which God would bring on that place. Therefore the saints departed do not see the state of the Church on eart…

When the heart is soft and tender, it is also humble and contrite, and ready to tremble at the word of God. So it is said of Josiah, that his heart was tender, and he humbled himself before the Lord, when he heard his word (2 Kings 22:18, 19). This may be wanting in some in a gr…

To their Priests and Levits, Cyprian does rightly liken our Pastors and Deacons, for however sundry things were done by the Priests and Levites, which were typical and Jewish onely; yet may we well parallell our Pastors with their Priests, in respect of a perpetuall Ecclesiastic…

But what is a tender heart, but a heart which is easily impressed with what ought to affect it? God commends Josiah, because his heart was tender; and it is evident by those things which are mentioned as expressions and evidences of this tenderness of heart, that by his heart be…

"And Elisha came again to Gilgal, and there was a dearth in the land, and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him: and he said unto his servant, Set on the great pot, and seethe pottage for the sons of the prophets." In Elijah's and Elisha's time, there were several pla…

Some there are, that one night's waking under the terrors of the law would make an end of them, if invisible Gospel strength were not furnished to them; and here there must be a mixture of law-influences, and of Gospel impressions of Christ upon the spirit. It speaks much grace…

So men keep strong forts, and imaginations against God besieging them by the preached Gospel (2 Corinthians 10:5, 6), and will not have their thoughts led captives to the obedience of Christ. Whereas softness and tenderness in Josiah (2 Kings 22:19, 20) brings stooping and self-…

The Enthusiasts boldly mock the word as an instrument of carnal and fleshly regeneration, and seek a new birth from a spirit alone separated from the word. Deep humiliation is wrought by the word (2 Kings 22:14); the pride of Satan reigns in the spirits of Enthusiasts, who despi…

Deuteronomy 17:18: the Law of God is to be for the direction of the King and of the Priests, and Levites. The Book of the Law of the Lord given by Moses (2 Chronicles 34:15, 19, 30, 31, compared with 2 Kings 22:8, 11; 23:2, 3) was that by which Josiah made his reformation both i…

No such way to infect the whole town, as to poison the Cistern at which they draw their water; who shall perswade Ahab that he may go to Ramoth-Gilead and fall? Satan can tell, I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of his Prophets, 2 Kings 22:21. How shall the profane be hardene…

Third, Christ commends this (Jeremiah 31:18): I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself. 2 Kings 22:19. Because your heart was tender — and you have wept before me, I have also heard you, says the Lord. Luke 7:44. She has washed my feet with tears.

Eli was a good man, and yet the threatening of God took hold on him, and his house; and David though a godly man, yet the sword never departed from his house; so that the threatenings belong to God's people, and we must so account them; else we shall read the word in vain, when…

(6) Because, true repentance, is a renewing of the image of God lost, at least greatly defaced, by the committing of sin, which in sanctification is not perfected, but only begun, and does daily increase through the virtue of Christ's death, and resurrection (Ephesians 4:19-24).…