A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Volume 3 · Appendix · Chapter 31
2 Chron. CHAP. XXXI.
THIS Chapter conſiſts of two Parts. Firſt, The Actions of the People. And Secondly, Of Hezekiah after this Paſſover.
Remarks upon the Firſt, in ver. 1. The Subjects of King Hoſhea joyned with thoſe of King Hezekiah to break down the Images of Baal, &c. even in Ephraim and Manaſſeh, which were out of Hezekiah's Juriſdiction, but belong'd to Hoſhea, looking upon him either as an Ʋſurper, or an Atheiſt, rather than an Idolater; or if an Idolater, yet confined to Calf-worſhip, and not ſo zealous for Baal as his Predeceſſors had been: However, this zealous Act (ſaith Oſiander) was done without Hoſhea's Conſent, for now the Men of Ephraim and Manaſſeh, having heard the Law, receiv'd the Sacrament, and had their Hearts fill'd with the Joy of the Lord, which was their Strength, Neh. 8.10. they were divinely tranſported, and would not return home, till they had Reform'd thus far in the Kingdom of Iſrael, which (as Junius ſaith) was now tottering toward it's final fall.
The Second Part is, the Actions of Hezekiah after this alſo.
Remark the Firſt; Hezekiah diſtributes the Offices of the Prieſts, that every one might know, not only what was his Office, but alſo what was his time to be preſent at the Temple, ver. 2. which is fitly compared to a Camp, (ſaith Junius) for the Watch and Ward there kept, &c.
Remark the Second; He reviveth thoſe Laws for the Miniſters maintenance, which his Father Ahaz had null'd; that thoſe Godly, Prieſts, being plentifully provided for, (after a long famiſhing Perſecution) might ſerve the Lord without Diſtraction, 1 Cor. 7.35. and therefore out of his Princely bounty, he beſtows liberally of his own proper Goods and particular Coſt, unto this Publick Fund, ver. 3, 4, 5. that ſo his People (who had been much polled and peeled in his Fathers Days) might be the more eaſed, yet do as he did, according to their Ability; which they did likewiſe, not pinchingly but abundantly, to make great Heaps of Tythes, with Voluntary Vows alſo, ver. 6, 7, 8.
Remark the Third: When Hezekiah, &c. ſaw the huge Heaps of Free-will Offerings, beſides the Tythes appointed by Law, then he bleſſed the Lord, both for his giving ſuch a plentiful Harveſt in this Year of Reformation, and for his giving ſuch a pious and liberal frame of Spirit to the People in bringing in ſo much, as Store-houſes muſt receive what at preſent was not ſpent; as Azariah (who had withſtood Ʋzziah, ſaith Lyra) inform'd and advis'd Hezekiah, ver. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14.
Remark the Fourth: So great was the abundance of the Offerings, through the Peoples Bounty and the King's Devotion, that there was Maintenance Allotted and Allowed (ſaith Moſes Flacherus) in a Geometrical proportion, not only to the Prieſts and Levites, but alſo to their Wives and Children from Three Years old and upwards, ver. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19. for their Males were brought ſo young (ſaith Oſiander) to learn the Worſhip of God, and to do ſome ſmall Service in the Temple. N. B. The Liberality of the People here, both in their ordinary and extraordinary Oblations, in making ſuch an heap'd-up plentiful proviſion for their Prieſts and Levites, and for their Wives and Children alſo at this time: but how Cold and Gaſping is our Devotion in this Day? In former and Darker Days our Fore-fathers made the Statute of Mortmain to reſtrain the People from giving any more to the Church, finding they ſtood more need of a Bridle than of a Spur (as hath been ſaid before) but, alas, now there needeth no ſuch Reſtraining Statute, the Springs of Peoples Bounty being like Jordan, run Retrograde, and needs a Spur more than a Bridle.
Remark the Fifth: The High and Honourable Character given to Hezekiah here, ver. 20, 21. for his Sincerity, Zeal in God's Service, &c. is more diſtinctly Amplify'd in 2 Kin. 18.5, 6. where he is commended for his Confidence in God, for his Courage in Reformation, (cauſed by his Confidence) and for his Conſtancy therein, cleaving cloſe to God unto the end; ſo that after him there was none like him, that could outdo him in Devotion, N. B. no not Joſiah himſelf; for he did not fall immediately upon Reforming in the firſt Year of his Reign as Hezekiah did, outdoing all his Predeceſſors in Removing the High-places, whereas Joſiah did only follow Hezekiah's Example, 2 Kin. 22.1, 3. nor did he Die as Joſiah did in War.
Remark the Sixth: The Lord bleſſed Hezekiah with a famous Victory over the Philiſtins, (a Warlike People) yet recovering from them not only what his Father had loſt, 2 Chron. 28.18. but much more alſo, 2 Kin. 18.8. great Cities as well as ſmall, Watch-Towers bordering on them, ſay Junius and Piſcator; yea in all other Caſes ('tis ſaid) he behaved himſelf wiſely, even in that of caſting off the Yoke of the Aſſyrians, which his Father's wicked Covenant had impos'd upon Iſrael, and which Refuſal, that King call'd Rebellion in Hezekiah, 2 Kin. 18.7. with 16.7. tho' Hezekiah himſelf confeſſeth it an Offence, 2 Kin. 18.14. yet was it probably no Sin in its own nature, for God gave an Independent Soveraignty to the Houſe of David, which Ahaz had ſordidly Alienated, but no way obliging to his Son: Had his caſting off the Yoke been Sin, God would not have own'd him in it, but would rather have Reproved him for it by Iſaiah (who was ſent to him about it) than Aſſiſt him in it, and Deliver him from it, as he did, 2 Kin. 19.20, &c.