A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Volume 3 · Appendix · Chapter 3
2 Kings CHAP. XVIII. and 2 Chron. CHAP. XXIX.
THESE two Chapters give us a conjunct Account of the moſt Illuſtrious Life of King Hezekiah, both as to Age, Off-ſpring, Actions and Paſſions in conjunction with the following Chapters.
Remark the Firſt, Is firſt upon his Age: Sanctius ſaith, that King Ahaz was about Fourteen Years old when he begat Hezekiah, whoſe Mother's Name was Abi, ver. 1, 2. and Abijah, 2 Chron. 29.1. Abi ſignifies my Father, and Abijah my Father of the Lord; for our Lord Chriſt deſcended from him, Matt. 1.9, 10, &c. He was Twenty and five Years old when he began to Reign, and Reigned Twenty and nine Years; beginning his Reign in the third Year of Hoſhea, namely, of thoſe nine Years mentioned Chap. 17.1. wherein he Reigned (ſaith Vatablus) as an Abſolute King, and no longer a Tributary Vaſſal to the King of Aſſyria. N. B. For Reſolving the Doubt ariſing hence, Junius and Piſcator concurr, ſaying, That Hoſhea was Tributary to the Aſſyrian eight Years, which make up his Seventeen Years Reign. But Learned Dr. Lightfoot ſteps farther, ſaying, That Hezekiah Reigned fourteen Years in his Father Ahaz's time: For tho' Shalmaneſer's Firſt Expedition was againſt Samaria and Hoſhea its King, yet his Second was againſt Jeruſalem, which he likewiſe ſubdued, and depoſed Ahaz, making him as a private Perſon, but placed in his Throne his Son Hezekiah, whom God had reſerved (for an Inſtrument of his Glory and good to his People) from the bloody Sacrifices of Ahaz to Molech, and from the Maſſacring Hand of the Enemy who ſlew ſome of Ahaz's Sons, 2 Chron. 28.3, 7. N. B. Nor muſt it be though a thing Impoſſible, that Ahaz, while ſo very young, ſhould beget Hezekiah, ſeeing Judah, when but a green Youth of 13 or 14 Years old, begat Er his Eldeſt Son, Gen. 38.1, 2, 3. as profound Paraeus obſerveth, and ſeeing Solomon begat his Son Rehoboham (as Sanctius ſaith) when but about 12 Years old, which he gathers from 1 Kin. 14.21. Beſide. Hierom doth aſſure us with a ſolemn Aſſeveration, that he knew a Drunken Nurſe was got with-child by her Nurſling a Boy of ten Years old; God ſo ordering it (ſaith he) that the ſecret wickedneſs of that wicked Woman might be diſcover'd, Hierom. Epiſt. 131. ad Vitalem.
Remark the Second, Is Secondly upon his Parents from whence he deſcended, as to his Father Ahaz. Here we have a moſt Pious Son ſucceeded a moſt Impious Fathers As Ahaz was a None-ſuch for Evil, 2 Chron. 28.22. ſo Hezekiah was a None-ſuch for Good, 2 Kin. 18.5. 2 Chron. 30.26, &c. As to his Mother Abijah, ſhe was (ſaith Vatablus) a Woman very Famous for Goodneſs in thoſe times, as her Husband was Infamous for Badneſs. She was the Daughter of Zachariah the King, mentioned before, (ſay ſome) but others more probably ſay ſhe was the Daughter of Zachariah the Seer, 1 Chron. 26.5. N. B. Hezekiah her Son proved the better Man for the Godly Inſtructions of his good Mother; ſhe could better prevail upon her Tender Son, than upon her Harden'd Husband, whoſe Pertinacy would not be moved at all by her Piety. His pious Mother (the Daughter of Zacharias the good High-Prieſt, whom wicked Joaſh ſlew, 2 Chron. 14.20, 22.) had ſo well principl'd her Son Hezekiah, while he was young and under her Inſpection and Tutorage, that he did that which was right in the ſight of the Lord, like David his Father, ver. 3. both in ſincerity of heart, and in integrity of life: And no ſooner was he got into the Throne, but his firſt Care was to Rectify and Reform Religion, which had been notoriouſly Deformed in his Father Ahaz's days. Whereupon our learned Gattaker makes an excellent Annotation, ſaying, Hezekiah moſt piouſly and prudently obſerved Hippocrate's Rule, [Si quid moves, à principio move] Apho. 2.29. for 'tis ſaid, when he began to Reign, then he began to Reform, [in the firſt Year of his Reign, and in the firſt Month, 2 Chron. 29.3. N. B. and in the firſt day of the firſt Month, ver. 17. he began his Reformation. As all wiſe Perſons obſerve wiſely the Spring of the Year (which is a Spring of Nature) to be the moſt opportune Seaſon for Purging their Natural Bodies: So all prudent Princes prudently improve the Spring of their Reigns for reforming Religion, redreſſing of Grievances, &c. as the apteſt opportunity for ſuch Enterprizes, becauſe Impreſſions may then be made more eaſily upon the Minds of the People, and ſuch as will laſt the longer, ſaith the Lord Bacon, &c.
Remark the Third, Is Thirdly upon his Actions in Particular, as they are ſaid to be Right in God's ſight in General, ver. 2.
Mark 1. He opened the Doors of the Temple, 2 Chron. 29.3. which his Father Ahaz had prophanely ſhut up. 2 Chron. 28.24. and he Repaired them that were grown Ruſty and decayed for want of uſe, &c. and other decayed parts of it. Here is a bleſſed Pattern.
Mark 2. He Aſſembles the Prieſts and Levites, makes an Elegant Oration to them, full of Faith and Piety in every Paſſage wherein he lays his Royal Command (as from the Lord) upon them for the Sanctification of their Perſons, 2 Chron. 29.4.5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. Herein his Prologue is very Pathetical, and his Propoſal is confirm'd by Cogent Arguments, drawn both from Peril in neglecting, (as their Predeceſſors had done, to bring great Plagues upon the Land) and from Profit in performing their Duty, their Reformation might procure God's Reconciliation, ver. 10. But his Epilogue, ver. 11. is much more Emphatical, calling them [his Sons] tho' many of them might be Elder than himſelf, but his Office made him their Nurſing Father (as Iſa. 49.23.) ſaying, [Be not Negligent.] This is a good Memento for Miniſters, who ought firſt to Sanctifie themſelves, ſeeing they are ſet apart to Sanctifie other Perſons and things.
Mark 3. He put the Prieſts and Levites (when Sanctify'd) upon the Purgation of the Temple, 2 Chron. 29. ver. 12, to 19. They brought forth all Ʋncleanneſs, all Idols, Trinkets, Traſh and Trumpery which his Idolatrous Predeceſſors had brought into the Houſe of God to Prophane it; yea, and the Altar of Damaſcus, which his Father had moſt prophanely ſet up in God's Temple, juſtling out God's Altar out of its proper place into a by corner, as before. All polluted things they found there (leaving nothing behind as a Neſt-Egg to give the Hen of Idolatry any hope of a deſired Day for returning) they caſt all into the Town-Ditch and into Tophet, (ſaith Grotius) the fitteſt place for them.
Mark 4. Hezekiah then gave a New Conſecration and Dedication to the Temple; ver. 20 to the end of 2 Chron. 29. Note here principally, 1. in how ſmall a Tract of Time what a deal of Traſh may be Contracted; Jotham (Predeceſſor to Ahaz) is commended for his endeavours after Reformation; Ahaz ſucceeds and brings in ſo much Pollution into God's Temple, as took up Sixteen Days to carry forth, ver. 17. tho' many hands of Zealous Prieſts and Levites, &c. were employ'd to purge it out. Note 2dly. in this Purging of the Temple (which Hezekiah performed in the beginning of his Reign) it may well be ſuppoſed (ſaith Dr. Lightfoot) that the Copy of Solomon's Proverbs was found, mentioned, Prov. 25.1. and was tranſcribed by ſome of Hezekiah's Servants out of the old Manuſcript, which probably was much ſoiled with Time and Neglect. Solomon had his Thouſand out of this his Vineyard of Three Thouſand Proverbs, 1 Kin. 4.32, and theſe Men of Hezekiah not only found but alſo communicated the Fruit thereof, Cant. 8.12. N. B. 'Tis good for Men to be labouring what they are able for the Glory of God and the good of others, tho' it be but a Copying out another Man's Labours, and preparing it for the Preſs and publick Service: 'Tis honeſt to be a Second or a Third (ſaith Tully) in following one that is firſt in good things. Note 3dly. Hezekiah's Zeal for God's Glory, whoſe Father's ſhort Reign had ſo filled God's Houſe with Filth: His Son here roſe early, ver. 20. and could not reſt till he had Reformed all that was Deformed, calling a Parliament here for that purpoſe: Oh pray for ſuch Ready Religious Reformers in our Day, ſeeing Antichriſt hath had ſo long a Leaſe: Ahaz raigned but Sixteen Years, 2 Kin. 16.2. and in ſome part of Ahaz's ſhort Reign did Hezekiah ſit on the Throne, as is noted before; and if Ahaz had ſo peſter'd the Temple with his Trinkets in ſo little time, no wonder if Antichriſt hath fill'd it top-full in his long Leaſe of 1260 Years; and no wonder if our Reformers remove no more of the Rubbiſh, ſome in one Age and ſome in another. Chriſt himſelf will come and purge his Temple, Mal. 3.1, 2, 3. Oh pray, pray, pray, that Chriſt may come quickly to remove all Rubbiſh, and Reform all that is Deformed, &c. Revel. 22.20.
Mark 5. Hezekiah having anew Conſecrated the Temple (that had been ſo long Defiled) with Sacrificing ſeven Bullocks and ſeven Rams, and with ſinging Holy Songs of Praiſes, &c. and with Threeſcore and ten Bullocks for a Sacrifice of Thanksgiving, &c. then went he abroad to throw down the High Places, 2 Kin. 18.4. according to God's command, Deut. 7.5. N. B. Menochius well obſerves here, that he left ſome of them ſtanding, as appeareth from 2 Kin. 23.13, 14. either becauſe the People would not permit it; or becauſe they did worſhip no Idols there: No doubt but the Judgments of God upon Iſrael for their Idolatry at this time, muſt make the People of Judah leſs preſſing after their old Superſtition, and more plyable to the Commands of God and of their good King, who was better than his Predeceſſors.
Mark 6. A Sixth good Action of Hezekiah was his breaking of Images, and cutting down Groves, according to God's command, Deut. 7.5. no doubt but they brake in pieces the Images and ſuch like Trumpery they found in the Temple, yea and ſtamped them into duſt (as was done Exod. 32.20.) before they caſt them into the Brook Kidron, 2 Chron. 29.16. but theſe were foreign Images found abroad in the Land of Judah, and he cut down the Groves, 2 Kin. 18.4. which were places planted with Trees for Delight, and which Idolaters Dedicated to the Honour of their Idols, whereby they allured People to Idolatry. Such as mad Maacha Aſa's Mother deviſed, [ſetting up her filthy Idol of Priapus in a Grove, 1 Kin. 15.13. and ſuch as none-ſuch Ahab made, 1 Kin. 16.33. and Jerem. 17.2. pretending an Imitation of Abraham, Gen. 21.33.] N. B. But Abraham planted a Grove only that he might have a private place of Prayer to the Lord, (not to worſhip Idols) and to nouriſh his holy Fire with, &c.
Mark 7. But the moſt Sublime Action of Hezekiah's Reformation was [his breaking in pieces the brazen Serpent, that Moſes had made] 2 Kin. 18.4. the Emphaſis lays here, it was of Moſes's making, and at God's appointing, Numb. 21.8, 9. erected at firſt as a means for curing thoſe that were Stung with Fiery Serpents, and hitherto had been kept as a Monument and Memorial of God's great Mercy at that time, as a ſpecial Type of Chriſt, Joh. 3.14, 15. but now they had moſt Superſtitiouſly burnt Incenſe to it, tho' Moſes never made it as an Object of Worſhip, but only as means of a Cure; but now ſuch was the Secret Venom of the Iſraelties Idolatry, that they yielded Divine Honour to this Monument, and ſo they made the Brazen Serpent to Sting far worſe than the Fiery did, which only Stung the Body, But this the Soul, that Nobler part. N. B. Hence Grotius gravely Noteth, That Hezekiah in breaking this Brazen Serpent is an egregious Example for Kings, that when things Lawful and Uſeful (if not Neceſſary) be perverted to Idolatry, they may lawfully be deſtroyed, that they be not a Stumbling-block to the Blind; and he call'd it Nehuſhtan, in contempt, a piece of broken Braſs, nothing of a Deity in it either to harm or help you, ſo not to be Adored, ſaith Vatablus. Oh Crafty Devil (ſaith Sanctius) what God ordained to Cure, he orders o Kill hereby, &c.