Pure and Undefiled Religion

J. Quincy, Speaker.

p. 1An Election SERMON.

And the Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because be walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim.

But sought to the Lord God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel:

Therefore the Lord stablished the kingdom in his hand, and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat presents, and he had riches and honour in abundance.

And his heart was lift up in the ways of the Lord.

THE great God that formed all things, and that preserveth them all, is Lord of all. He hath prepared his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom ruleth over all. He doth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth. He is the most high, that ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. The inspired Psalmist informs p. 2us, That promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: He putteth down one, and setteth up another, Psal. 75. 6, 7. Asa king of Judah being put down by death, Jehoshaphat his son is set up, and succeedeth him in the throne; this we may see in the close of the foregoing chapter, and in the first verse of the chapter before us. As it was with the priests of old, concerning whom we are told in Heb. 7. 23. And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death; So it is respecting civil rulers of what denomination soever: they have their predecessors and their successors. Jehoshaphat had three that went before him, and fifteen that followed after him in the kingdom of Judah. In the history of him, there are several things worthy our notice & observation. The first thing we have an account of upon his accession to the throne in his father's stead is, His strengthening himself against Israel, ver. 1. against the king and people of Israel: Thus wise and prudent was he. He did not live securely and in a defenceless posture, and so as to become an easie prey to those that should at any time come out against him. But he took care to be in a posture of defence, and to maintain his own dominions. He placed forces in all the fenced cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken, as in ver. 2. Now follows the words of my text, in which we have Jehoshaphat's piety acknowleged and declared, or his religious reign spoken of to his praise. Also the Lord's rewarding the same several ways. But more particularly in these words we may observe, p. 21. Jehoshaphat's PIETY. He was a man of true piety, of pure and undefiled religion. This character don't belong to all that sit upon Thrones, and p. 3that sway the Scepter; neither have we the like account given of all the other Kings of Judah. All that rule over men are not men of religion; but He was. We are told ver. 3. He walked in the first ways of his father David. David was a man after God's own heart, 1 Sam. 13. 14. It is spoken of him to his singular honour after his death, that his heart was perfect with the Lord his God. And that he did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite, Kings 15. 3, 5. David's ways (in the general) we find highly commended in the scriptures, and set up as a standard. See 2 King. 14. 3. 16. 2. 18. 3. Not David but Asa, was the father of Jehoshaphat. So that instead of he walked in the first ways of his father David, it seems most proper to read thus; He walked in the ways of David, and his father's first ways. Asa's first ways were more exemplary, than those towards the latter end of his time; as may be seen in the history of him in the three foregoing chapters. Jehoshaphat followed David and his father Asa, wherein they followed God. He did not imitate his father in what was amiss in him, towards the close of his life.

'Tis good to be cautious (says one) [Henry in loc.] in following the best men, lest we step aside after them.

Tho' it be commendable to walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous; to imitate them in their goodness; yet it is not so to imitate them in their failings and imperfections.

Furthermore, We are told in ver. 3. And sought not unto Baalim. And in ver. 4. But sought to the Lord God of his father, & walked in his commandments, p. 4and not after the doings of Israel. He complyed with that command in Matt. 4. 10. Thou shalt worship the thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. He was not chargeable with idol worship; with worshipping heathenish or false Gods. It is said of him, That he sought not unto Baalim. We read frequently of Baal and Baalim in the scripture. Baal signifies Lord; and Baalim is plural, and signifies Lords. The false Gods of the adjoyning nations, tho' they were diverse, yet Baal was a name common to most of them. Now these he abhorred, he paid no religious homage and adoration to them. He did not acknowledge these, or own any dependance on them. He did not make his addresses to these, but prayed to and worshipped the portion of Jacob, who is not like them. He sought to the Lord God of his father; he worshipped and served the living and true God. He walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel. We are told in Judges 2. 11. And the children of Israel did evil in the fight of the Lord, and served Baalim, and they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the Lord to anger. They worshipped the golden calves which Jeroboam made and set up, 1 Kings 12. 28, 29, 30. But now Jehoshaphat did not disregard the commandments of God as Israel did, nor do after their doings: No; he worshipped the true God according to his own institution. He reverenced the divine law, and endeavoured to make others conform to it: He reformed the worship of God; he took away the high places, and groves out of Judah, where they worship'd their idols; as in the latter part of the 6th. ver.