The Kings Chronicle in Two Sections, Chapter 3
THE ACTS OF JEHORAM. CHAP. III.
JEHORAM ſtrengtheneth himſelfe againſt the LORD, and ſlayeth his Bretheren He walked-on after a wicked example; In a way contrary to God; and God as contrary to him. Edom revolted from him; ſo doth Libnah a City of Priests; They will not be compelled to Idolatry: So they approve themſelves the beſt ſubjects to the King. He quite for ſakes the Law of his GOD; no man followes him, but the executioner of Gods wrath: Enemies 2 Chro. 21.are upon his back; and ſore diſeaſes in his bowells: He dyes, ver. 4.and carries the marke of his wickedneſſe to his grave.ver 3.
IEHORAM, a very bad Sonne of a very good Father, has a Kingdome diſpoſed to him, becauſe he was the firſt borne b: That was the only reaſon that perſwaded with the Father; there could be no other; for no ſooner was he riſen-up therein, and knew himſelfe to be King, but he ſtrengthened himſelfe (i. e.) ſet himſelfe in a poſture of warre.
A moſt unhappy and unnaturall beginning; for the firſt Act of hoſtility was againſt thoſe, he ſhould have tendred as a Father, being King; and as his owne bowells, for they were his Brethren: But he ſlew his Bretheren with the Sword, beſides divers alſo of the Princes of Iſrael. *He was of a miſchievous nature, but could diſſemble deepely to win the good opinion of his Father & Bretheren for cloſing with his Wiſe in her Idolatrous ſervices, and having the r…ines in his hand, we ſee how bloody he was. Sr. W R. Hiſt of the World. ever. 4.The GOD of recompences meets with him anon: For the debts of Cruelty and Mercy are never left unſatisfied: They may lye for a time, but they ſhall encreaſe; both Principall and Ʋſe ſhall be payed at once: he has ſhed blood, blood will purſue him; he ſhall be made Pro. …8 17.drunke with it; his Sword has made his Mother childleſſe: the Sword of the LORD will make him wiveleſſe and childleſſe at once; this we ſhall ſee anon. We will obſerve him in his way now: what way goes he? He leaves the good way of his good Father, traverſeth his own way, a way pleaſing in his own eyes; the way of the Kings cver. 6.of Iſrael. The King of Judab now does juſt as the houſe of Ahab: And the SPIRIT of GOD is cleare at this point, giving us the reaſon why the Sonne left the good way of his Father (a wiſe King and a better Man,) to walke in the way of the houſe of Ahab; for he had (ſaith the Spirit) the Daughter of Ahab *Athaliah Siſter to Ahab Son of Omri.to wife. Truely, when I firſt read the Chapter (to gather obſervations from it) and ſaw ſuch a ſlaughter, ſuch an effuſion of blood, I verily thought, I ſhould read this preſently; for he had the 2 King. 8. 26.Daughter of Ahab to wife: A peſtilent woman, a very firebrand ordained by God to conſume a great part of the Nobleſt Houſes in Judah, even of thoſe men or their children, whoſe worldly wiſedome, regardleſſe of Gods pleaſure, had brought her in. Jehoram was imped into this wicked ſtock, the family of Ahab, he had a notorious murdreſſe, Idolatreſſe, and, it was verily thought, an Adulireſſe alſo to his Wife; Now you may reade-on without the booke, And he wrought that, which was evill in the eyes of the LORD fver. 6.: It was very likely that would follow, for he that regards not into what Houſe he matcheth himſelfe, will be as regardleſſe how evill his works are, and that they are wrought in the eyes of the LORD: Indeed he wrought that evill, which conſumed and ruined himſelfe, and his whole family: and yet not all, not every perſon there, for the LORD, remembring Mercy in the midſt of Judgement, (as His manner is, and promiſe was) would not quite put-out the light of Iſrael, becauſe of the good word He spake to David concerning that matter dver. 7.. But Jehoram ſhall be vexed, every veine in his heart, and made an example of wrath to all, that will match in an Idolatrous houſe.
That we may hate Jehorams way (which was the way of the Houſe of Ahab) as we doe the end of the ſame, for it was ruine and deſtruction to him, and his whole houſe, and his Kingdome too; we will trace Jehorams ſtepps in his way, that we may reade with all obſervation, what thoſe evills were, which he wrought in the way of the houſe of Ahab, before the eyes of the Lord: Then we will ſee how the Lord meets with him in that way; how gently He deales with him at the firſt, and how ſeverely at the laſt; for patience abuſed turnes into fierce wrath. We will obſerve in our paſſage by what ſtepps and degrees the Lord proceeds againſt him; ſmiting him in his outwards firſt, afterwards in his bowells: we will obſerve the order briefly, and then we will treat more largely upon it. The Lord plucks him by the Crowne firſt, ſtrikes off a piece thence, not very conſiderable, and yet not wholly contemptible; then takes away a Flower, the chiefe ornament of the ſame; then holds him up to the wind, his Kingdome alſo, and ſo diſſolved his ſubſtance: For the Lord tooke away the hedge, His defence, throwes-open his gates and barrs, and in-came the adverſary from every quarter: yet the Lord has not done, (will ye provoke the Lord to anger: are ye ſtronger then He?) Jehoram takes adviſe of his Wife, followes her way, and ſtretcheth out his hand againſt the LORD: At the laſt, the Lord lifted him-up to the wind indeed, diſſolveth his ſubſtance, ſhatters him and his houſe all to pieces, (he would provoke the Lord!) ſlayes his Wives and Children; ſtrikes him in the bowells; and yet there is not an end. That we may put all due obſervation upon all this, we will reade it all over againe in order.
1. We will pace with him in his way, that we may learne to hate it; It is the way of the houſe of Ahab; and he walkes in it ſtoutly, as if he had an arme like GOD. Whatever concerned his Kingdome, he communicates to his Queene, takes her counſell (ſhe was the Daughter of Ahab) what ſhe ſaid was Law; then her Lord offers violence to the Law, changeth the Ordinances, breakes the everlaſting Covenant, for thus he does; he for ſakes the bver. 10.Lord God of his Fathers. What followes this forſaking? Moreover he made high places in the Mountaines of Judah, and cauſed the inhabitants of Jeruſalem to commit fornication. ver: 11.Some there were, both Prieſts and others, to whom the good King deceaſed, (obſerving in his life time, with ſorrow enough, what way his Son inclined) gave ſpeciall charge both touching ſpirituall cauſes and temporall matters: And theſe would not yeeld, (as we ſhall ſee anon) to thoſe illegall proceedings of Jehoram: But he was King, and might doe, he thought, as his Wife counſelled him, (ſhe was Daughter of Omri and Siſter of Ahab, (for that muſt ſtill be remembred, ſhe would counſell him to do) as he liſted; he made innovations in Religion, uſed compulſion there, and was, if not the very firſt, the firſt that is regiſtred, to have ſet-up irreligion and Idolatrous ſervices BY FORCE, and compelled Judah thereto dver. 11..
Then the good Prieſts began to looke about them (for their eyes were open and upon Jehoram long before, but) now they lay their heads together, and conſult what is to be done, and what way they muſt take, now that they ſee which way their King takes. Speake to him they dare not, they durſt as well ſhake a Lyon by his clawes: his Queene, a woman of a Maſculine ſpirit, and very wicked, had ſo raiſed the ſpirit of her King againſt GOD and good Men, that he was now ſuch a ſon of Belial, that a man could not ſpeake to him f1 Sam. 25. 17.; A cruell perſecutor he, for he murthered his owne Bretheren, and divers of the Princes, as we heard, who then durſt ſtand before him, or ſpeake the truth unto him, or truſt him after theſe bloody executions? Certaine it is, the Prophets durſt not ſtand before him, much leſſe reprove him to his face, but denounced GODS judgements againſt him by Letters gver. 12., keeping themſelves cloſe and farre from him: There came a writing to him from Elijah the Prophet, (how it came the LORD knowes, but it came) to give the King warning before the blow came, (for that is the Lords manner) and therein the Prophet deales plainely and roundly with the King; That he walked as a man purſuing a curſe; in the way of the Kings of Iſrael, FORCING Judah to goe a whoring in the ſame way, &c. Thus plaine was the writing, for that could neither bluſh nor ver. 13.be afraid, though in the hands of a murtherer; and the penman was ſafe enough (I think) he had taken ſanctuary at the grave; but the ſtouteſt Prophet of them all durſt not tell the King this to his face, for he hated the reprover, and was reſolved in his way, and to ſet his foote upon him, that durſt withſtand him in his way, though it were to ſave his Crowne: So he goes-on, or rather blunders, as one before him, upon the drawn Sword. We muſt note here, as we ſhall find it all along, That the Prophets tell the King plainly of his doings; if he be ſuch a ſon of Belial as this King was, and will not heare, then they ſent a writing to him; If the King be ſo fierce, that a good Prophet dares not ſtand before him and ſpeake unto him; then he will ſend unto him; And there came a writing to him from the Prophet. And ſo, having done their duty, the Prophets let the King and the Queen alone joyned to Idols, and traverſing their own way, (they had entred upon and made paſſible by blood, and ſuch ſeldome returne) The Prophets would not weary themſelves about them: In their Mouth *Jer. 2. 24.they were ſound, for then their pangs came upon them. We will now take our eys off from beholding Jehorams way, and behold the Lord in the way of his judgments upon him.
2. The LORD begins with him, as His manner is, lightly afflicting him at the firſt, and afterward more grievouſly. Jehoram will not heare the true Prophets, nay he will not endure the ſight of them, if they be ſuch as will tell him the truth. Now the LORD will ſpeake to him by his rod, that has a voice, and, after that, in His ſore diſpleaſure. He has been tampering with the Law of his GOD, and now he has offered violence to it; the LORD will touch him in his Crown; He will come to his heart anon, but, as was ſaid, He will touch him lightly firſt; And, if he conſiders well of it, it may keep the blow from the heart; we muſt obſerve by what ſteps the Lord proceeds againſt him.
1. Edom breaks looſe from him; there is one ſlip from his Crowne, which he ſhould have laid to heart, have ſearched into the cauſe of this revolt, for it was conſiderable; Jehoram was their King before; now they will have none of him, for he will have none of GOD, (mark that:) They made themſelves a King bver. 8.. Jehoram had revolted too, and from the KING of Iſrael, which was moſt conſiderable at this time; but he conſiders it not, (for wiſe thoughts cannot enter into him, and ſtay with him, who muſt periſh) He conſiders how he may bring the Edomites back againe to his Crowne. The Edomites are gone from under his dominion, he goes after, with his Princes, and all his Charets with him ever 9.; and ſomething he did, but little to purpoſe, yet ſo much as lifted him up, and made him yet more ſtout againſt GOD (as we heard and read dver. 11.) to whom he rendred neither praiſe nor thanks. But what exploits did he with his Princes, and all his Charets with him? He came upon the Edomites by night, and it is like (for he was in a rage) he ſlew many of them: and ſo he gained ſome dead bodies, and thoſe he might keep under his dominion if pleaſed him: But ſo long as there was live-blood at their hearts, he ſhould never regain them again; So the Edomites revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this Day dver. 10.. Well, they are gone from under his dominion: wiſer and better men then they will follow after; and ſo a flower, a chiefe ornament falls from Jehorams Crowne, for,
2. Libnah, a Towne of Prieſts and Levites, who were charged by the Father e2 Chro. 19. 9, 10, 11.(diſcerning the way and ſpirit of his Son) in the feare of the LORD, to doe faithfully and with a perfect heart (a great charge) theſe give Jehoram the ſlip too: They will forſake Jehoram, for he has forſaken the LORD: they will not be thruſt away from the ſervice of their GOD to ſerve Idols, not they. This ſounds harſh in Jehorams eare; and it is as grievous to his eye.
It is very likely ſo, but no matter for that; we knew before, ſo ſoone as we read, that he had taken the Daughter of Ahab to Wife, what would follow, that he muſt be vexed every vaine of his heart. And yet, nothing, not a word or deed doe we find in the Text, ſaid or done againſt them.
True; but this is cleare in the Text, the ſame time did Libnah revolt from under his hand. Whoſe hand? from under Jehorams ver. 10.hand. Then it may be collected from the Text, that Jehoram counted them Rebells, and called them ſo too.
Yes, very likely ſo, though it be not expreſſed ſo; for it is the manner ſo, for a Rebell to call others by his own Name, Rebels and Exulem me de ſuo nomine vocat.Traitors all.
Was Jehoram a Rebell then? I doe not ſay ſo: Heare I pray you what the LORD ſayes, for His eyes are upon the truth, and He will be heard, Jehoram had for ſaken the Lord God of his Fathers. What more? A great deale more followes now; Moreover he made high-places. What more? And cauſed the Inhabitants of Jeruſalem to commit fornication. What more? and compelled Judah thereto. Looke upon it now, for we can riſe no higher; Iehoram forſakes GOD, turns his back upon Him, the great Potentate, KING of Kings, and LORD of Lords, turns his back upon This LORD; then provokes Him to His face by his lying vanities, and abominable Idolatrie; and, which heightens his Rebellion againſt GOD, and puts an accent upon it, makes it ſound very high, Iehoram forceth his LORDS Queen before His face, he compels Judah to do the ſame, as he had done, very wickedly. We cannot doubt now, but Iehoram was a great Rebell, the greater, becauſe he was in high place, a great King, and his wife a great Queen, daughter and ſiſter of two great Kings, the greater his Rebellion for that.
But theſe Prieſts and Levites revolt from their King, are they not Rebels now?
Judge ye! Here are two, Iehoram and his Prieſts, theſe goe two contrary wayes, and they croſſe each the other at the higheſt point, the point of ſervice and homage to their GOD; It is legible to all the world, that one of theſe walks as a Rebell moſt contrary to GOD and good-men; Then the other doe walk as becometh obedient children. It is not poſſible, That they, walking croſſe in the ſame way, ſhould meet together in point of Rebellion. But the Text is yet clearer. The Prieſts forſake Iehoram (nor the King) And why forſake they Iehoram? Becauſe he had forſaken the LORD GOD of his Fathers. *Gods command makes them deafe to the command of Iehoram: Diſobedience here is the trueſt obedience: And the greateſt Rebell here is the beſt Prieſt.Looke ye! The caſe is cleare, for God has cleared it, He has given us the cleareſt account of this matter that ever was given; The King had forſaken his LORD paramount, LORD of Lords. The Priests muſt forſake Iehoram in his way, or forſake GOD; That they will not doe, He is the Fountaine of their life, their light, their comfort; He is their praiſe, their feare, for He is their God, and He is ALL. They will not forſake Him; A good God, has done them good all their dayes, nor can they forget or neglect the charge, their good old Maſter layed upon them d2 Chron. 19. 9; Deale couragiouſly in the worke and way of the LORD, and the LORD ſhall be with you, for He will be with the good ever. 12.. They durſt not follow Iehoram downe a precipice. They knew alſo there was a pit at the bottome, that had no bottome. Let Iehoram venture his necke, the Prieſts would not, much leſſe their eternall ſouls. Should they follow him, that had forſaken GOD! GOD forbid.
Thus we ſee it cleare now as the beaten way, that here was no reſiſtance of the Kings Power, for that is of GOD, and for GOD, holy, iuſt and good: Here was a reſiſtance only of Iehorams power, unholy, unjuſt and naught, mannaged cleane againſt GOD, and forcing his people to rebell againſt Him too; A reſiſtance, I ſay, not againſt the officiall power of the King, but the humane power of Iehoram, a wicked and Idolatrous man, and as Ʋxorious (we have not a fitter word) one that ruled not, but let his Wife doe and rule all. The Prieſts reſiſted not Iehorams power, but his wives power, tyranny rather, for ſhe did all after the Line and Law of Ahabs houſe, whoſe Siſter ſhe was, and Daughter of Omri, and that was no Law to Iſrael, but moſt croſſe unto it: They reſiſted the FORCEING will of Iehoram, (for it had no Reaſon) whereby he would force the freeſt people in the world, and the freeſt Thing in the world, which can be no more impriſoned then can the Sunne-beame; and as much without the verge of Iehorams juriſ-diction, as a Starr is above his finger; they reſiſted this Will, and obeyed GODS Will. Holy, Holy, Holy, bleſſed for ever.
Thanks be to GOD, Who has ſo cleared unto us the practiſe of theſe Prieſts and Levites in Jehorams dayes, that he muſt ſay, as a bold fellow did, (The ſacred Text is ſeditious) who will accuſe thoſe Prieſts, and honeſt men of raiſing ſedition, becauſe they forſooke the way of Jehoram, when he had forſaken the LORD, and His good way. We muſt give men leave, who have their eyes open, and can diſcerne a pit before them, to turn out of the way, that leads to death, and follow on in the way of the LORD. Wee reade on.
4. The Prieſts can doe Jehoram no more ſervice, he ſtops his eare to their word, the word of GOD, and bends his fiſt, he will compell them to doe as he does; they will not be forced therein; let Jehoram goe his owne way, as his wife leads him, they will goe theirs, and yet not theirs, it is the way of the LORD. So now the beſt flower of his Crowne is gone, the honeſt Prieſts, a good Kings beſt jewels: The ſupporters of his Crowne were gone before, judgement and juſtice, his wife made him ſtampe thoſe under his foot. What will become of this man? You ſhall heare anon, and very quickly? Judgment and juſtice are ſet under foot; The Law of GOD is forſaken; a contrary Law is forced: now GOD will forſake Jehoram, and He will take peace away with Him, His Prieſts pack-after; Then vengeance comes powring down, for all will forſake Jehoram, but the executioners of GODS juſtice. The pooreſt King that was in the world, and more miſerable becauſe the King of Judah. Now the LORD, for He has held His peace a great while, is returning upon him, will ſhatter Jehorams Crowne, and even break the man to peeces; He will hold him up to the wind, and that ſhall carry away his Substance; He will throw open the gates of his Kingdom, He will take away his defence; The weake ſhall come-in upon him, and take the prey. It is moſt obſervable how GOD purſues the quarrell of His Covenant againſt this man, no King now in GODS account, and of very ſmall account in all Iſrael. Iehoram had forſaken the Fountaine, the LORD daſhes to peeces all his Ciſternes, He makes holes in them, all the comfort ſhall run out thence; his Ciſternes ſhall hold no water, not a drop: I meane, the LORD confounds his ſtrength, and his counſell both, nothing ſhould do him good; for beſides the blood that he ſhed, the violence he offered to the Law, his forcing men to break it, his adviſing with his wife, a wicked woman: Beſides all this, he forſooke the Lord, he went out from the preſence of the LORD, as it is ſaid of Cain. Let me aske, how can that be? A man may forſake Gen 4. 16.the LORD as Iehoram did; but how can he goe out from the preſence of the LORD (as Cain did) Who is wholly in Heaven, and wholly in Earth, not by interchanged times, but all at once; and ſo David witneſſeth, If I be in Heaven thou art there, if in Hell thou art there alſo: How then muſt it be underſtood, or what is the meaning, that Iehoram, as Cain, went-out from the preſence of the LORD? This is the meaning, Cain, and ſo Iehoram, and ſo every wicked man, hardned in evill, goes out from the preſence of GOD, that is, from out of the King of Heavens high-way, wherin only is ſafety, and a Commiſſion granted and ſealed for his protection: He is gone from under GODS roofe, as I may ſay, from out of His Angels hands, he is left to himſelfe, delivered up into his owne hands (he had better be delivered up to the Devill) to be his owne Keeper, disfavoured now, and bereaved of GODS protection. This was Iehorams caſe, a forlorne and forſaken man, for he hath forſaken GOD, and now no man followes him, but the Miniſters of GODS vengeance. And they come-in upon him from every quarter, for the Defence is gone, and the doores of his Houſe and Kingdome lye open; in comes the Adverſaries (GOD ſtirred up their ſpirit cver. 16.) The Philiſtines firſt, who had no power till now, ſince Davids time, but now Iehorams ſinnes make them ſtrong dNoſtris peccatis Barbari fortes ſunt: Hier: Epiſt 2. foreign. Iſid Pet. l. 1. Ep. 294.. The Arabians with them, a naked people, theſe deſpicable Enemies take his fenced Cities, ſpoyle his ſtrong holds, pillage his Houſe, carried away all the ſubstance that was found therin, and his ſons alſo and his wives: So that ever. 16, 17.there was never a ſonne left him ſave one. And then, to make his ſorrows compleat, (for when GOD begins, He will make an end, either bend the man, or breake him too peeces,) And that the terrible Sentence in that threatning Epiſtle (whoſe it was, I know not, but it was the word of the LORD) might be fullfilled to a Letter, he that ſmit his brethren, is ſmit in his bowels, which ſhortly after fell out by reaſon of his ſickneſſe: ſo he dyed of ſore diſeaſes gver. 19.. Surely the wound, and place therof, commands our obſervation and our mark.
Iehoram was ſmitten in his bowels; we muſt remember whom Iehoram had ſmitten, his Brethren, the ſons of his Mother: his Sonnes were ſmitten too, and he in his bowels. Our Divines have a ſaying very notable; Tell me thy puniſhment, and I will tell thee thy ſinne: For the LORD, the GOD of Recompences dJer. 51 56., tenders to a ſinner his Meaſures eJer 13. 15.: and the very ingredients, which he puts into his ſinne, GOD puts into his puniſhment; That the ſinner, ſmarting under the ſtroake of his ſin and puniſhment both together, may be humbled for the one, more then under the other, and ſay from his heart, The LORD is righteous; The Retaliation of the Lord is wonderfull here; we muſt put the more obſervation upon it, even how He did return Jehorams recompence upon his owne head fJo…l 3. 7..
1. He had concealed hatred, he had ſpoken fair and peaceable words, when warr was in his heart: he is puniſhed openly in the ſight of all Iſrael, and before the Sun.
2. He had ſlain All his Brethren, and every one of them better then himſelfe gver. 4 & ver. 13.: The Princes alſo, divers of them, the worſt could not be worſe then himſelf, only complying with him in his abominable way, all theſe he had ſlain. The Lord doe's recompence him, He ſtirred-up the spirit of the Philiſtines, and of the Arabians; and they came up into Judah and brake into it: And what did they? They carried away ALL the ſubſtance, that was found in the Kings Houſe, and his ſons alſo (all ſave one) and his wives (except Athaliah that wicked woman, ſhe muſt be left to recompence All Iudah for the blood-ſhed there, and the abominable ſervices done there: but) the enemies carried away all the reſt, leaving him but one ſon, nor that one for his ſake, but for David His ſervants ſake.
3. He did not only countenance irreligious ſervices performed to the Devill, but eſtabliſhed them by a Law, and by compulſive authority did enforce them; he ſhall feele force enough; This Adverſary did force him, and the other did force him even in his own houſe, and carried out thence All his ſubſtance, that was found there with his ſons and with his wives. Why? he would FORCE Judah to doe as he did, evill before the eyes of the Lord: he had an Arme like God, he could command, nay compell the freeſt thing in the world, and againſt God to do wickedly dEzek. 6. 9., worſe then the Heathen! See his recompence: he feels force after force; breach upon breach, but the laſt is the foreſt.
4. He had broken the Lord with his whoriſh heart dEzek. 6. 9., like as was the heart of his Queen, for (ſo the Lord complains, to ſhew unto us how He is wearied and preſſed with thoſe abominable ſervices in Iudah) the LORD GOD of Recompences breaks his heart with ſorrows, for He ſmote him in his bowels with an incurable diſeaſe, wherof he lay lingring two yeares, (All that long time, an hundred years, ſo they ſeemed to him lying in extremity (day by day) complaining night and day, O my bowels!) Then they fell out by reaſon of his ſicknes, and ſo at once, he died twiſe, for ought we can gather, the firſt and ſecond death together. He committed much ſin in a little time (8 years) he paced over his own way quickly, and more quickly paſſed the pleaſure of it, but the pain is laſting. Certainly this is written for the inſtruction of all the Kings of Iudah, that came after him, who, beholding this Recompence, might abhorre the worke: And looking through to the end of the way of Ahabs-houſe, they might not dare to ſet their face or foot that way, in taking the daughter of Ahab to wife, for ſhe will rule all, and give counſell like her ſelfe, wicked counſell, to the ruine of King and Kingdom and all: All this will be legible in the next Chapter, ſo ſoon as I have ſhut-up this. Iehoram departed this life without being deſired mver. 10.; as his Subjects had ſmall cauſe of comfort in his life: ſo had they not the good manners to pretend ſorrow for his death: Then we reade his buriall, and there is all of him; but that he was not buried in the Sepulchers of the Kings n2 Chron. 22. 9. The like is ſaid of others like him; we will ſet this note once for all upon his grave; He that walked ſo contrary to his good Father all the day long, ſhall not lodge with him at night: They buried him, but not in the Sepulchers of the Kings.2 Chro. 21. 20.