The Reformation of a Sinning People

A SERMON Preach'd at the Election, &c.

II CHRONICLES XX.33

Howbeit, the high Places were not taken away; for as yet the People had not prepared their Hearts unto the GOO of their Fathers.

WE have the History of Jehosaphat's Reign in this, and in the Three foregoing Chapters: Being set on the Throne of his Father, (as we read Chapt. 17. ver. 1.) He sets himself betimes to seek the LORD God of his Father, and to promote the Work of Reformation in Judah; GOD was pleased to own him in this work, and to crown him with Riches & Honour; (Ver 5, 6.) so that the fear of him fell on the Nations round about; they bring him Presents and pay him p. 2Tribute, (Ver. 11) Hence we might note; That the best way for Princes when they come to Sit on the Throne to Provide for their own Honour and safety & for the good of their People, is to begin with matters of Religion. If a People over whom they Rule be grown Corrupt the best way they can take to make their Reign Long and Prosperous, is to set about the Work of Reformation in the first place. We Read of his care for the Safety of Jerusalem and his doing much Business in Judah, by Building Castles and Citys of Store in it, (Ver 12,) and Placing his Men of War in the Fenced Citys, to the end of the Chapter. Hence note; That Religion is no hindrance to Worldly Business; Men may be concerned for the one & not neglect the other. Subordinata non puganan; Both these Ends may be pursued to good Advantage by the Heads and Rulers of a People: But alas! The Brightest Suns have their Spots, and the Best of Men have their Defects. We Read of an Error in, his Conduct in the beginning of the next Chapter in his Joyning in Affinity with Ahab, and going up with him to Ramoth◊ 〈…〉 to Battle against the Syrians, in which Engagement his Life is Exposed, and Ahab receives his Death's Wound; The Story of this of which I give you a brief hint is contained at p. 3large in the Eighteenth Chapter. We Read of his Returning in Safety to Jerusalem (Chapt. I9. Ver 1.) And of his being Reproved by Jehu the Son of Hanani the Seer for what he had done (Ver. 2) After this he Visits the Kingdom from one end of it to the other, the better to know the state of his People, and further to Reform what he found to be Amiss among them, or to supply and make up what might be wanting. We Read of his setting Judges in the Land throughout all the Fenced Citys of Judah, and giving them a Solemn Charge (Ver. 5, 6, 7) So of his setting Officers over the House of the Lord, to inspect the Service, Worship and Government of it, (Ver. 8.) And of his giving them their Respective Charges and Directions to the end of the Chapter.

p. 3[But however the Prophet had told him of his Error in Uniting with Ahab and Assisting him that was Gods open and Avowed Enemy, and that for this there was wrath upon him from before the Lord, i e. God was Angry for it, and would give some special Testimony against him for it in the way of his Providence.]

Now the beginning of this Twentieth Chapter in which the Text is contained, seems to have some respect to that Rebuke p. 4& Threatning; as if God were about to fulfil & to accomplish it; for we read here that the Men of Moab, Ammon and Mount Scir, a Numerous Baud are Combined against him; upon the Report of this he is sore afraid; sets himself to Seek the Lord, and Proclaims a Fast throughout all Judah, (Ver. 3, 4.) We read of his Prayer in the Audience of the Congregation, (from the 5 Ver. to the 12 Ver. inclusively.) So of the Answer and the great Overthrow of his Enemies Consequent upon it (from the 14. Ver. to the 25. Ver.) The People of Judah are much Affected with this Signal Salvation wrought for them by the Mighty Hand of God; So that they Assemble themselves in the Valley of Berachah to Bless the Lord, (Ver. 26.) We Read of their Triumphant Return to Jerusalem, (Ver. 27, 28) This great Overthrow wrought by the Hand of the Lord, strikes a Dread into the Enemies of Judah; So that the Realm has Rest and Quiet round about: And the Chapter Concludes the Scene of his Happy Reign, for we Read of his Death and Burial in the beginning of the next:

Yet in the Close of all, his Imperfection as noted in Two Things.

1. In this, That he did not Compleat the Work of Reformation.

p. 52 In his Joyning with Ahaziah that was very wicked, in matters of Business and Trade; An Evil like to the former, in Uniting with his Fa◊her Ahab: For this God is Angry, & the Measures concerted between them are broken. [See this from Ver. 35. to the end of the Chapter.] But my work is to Consider his Failing in the first Head, (Ver. 33) In the Words note then these two Things.

1. That though Jehosaphat went a great way in the work of Reformation, yet he was not Able to go through with it: Instance is given wherein he Failed; We are told, He walked in the ways of Asa his Father, (Ver. 32.) And Departed not from it, doing that which was right in the sight of the Lord; howbeit the high places were not taken away. By high Places in Propriety of Speech, we Understand the Hills, High Grounds, places of the Earth above others; and the Original Word will bear this sense, it signifies in its Primitive the Height of any thing, as the Top of Hills and Mountains, &c. And is here Metonimically used to Express the Altars Erected in such Places for Sacrifice, or any Images set up in them for Religious Worship, or their Worshiping the True God in such places from a Corrupt Conformity to the Heathen: We read concerning the Heathen Nations that they had Many gods or Subordinate Deities; they p. 6Limited them to particular Kingdoms, Cities, Hills, Groves, &c Agreeable to this notion they set up their Temples, Chappels or Altars for Worship, in their Respective Places; Now the Men of Israel and Judah had learnt their way and were very hardly brought off from it: Hence tis noted as a Failure in him and some other of the Pious Kings of Judah set to Reform the People: though they did many things in the Work yet here they Failed and came short. But here seems to arise a Difficulty to Reconcile the Text, with Chap. 17. Ver. 6. For there we Read, that he took away the high places and the groves out of Judah. Two Things are offered to Reconcile the Texts.