A compleat history and mystery of the Old and New Testament logically discust and theologically improved : in four volumes ... the like undertaking (in such a manner and method) being never by any author attempted before : yet this is now approved and commended by grave divines, &c. / by Christopher Ness ...

2 Kings CHAP. XII. and 2 Chron. CHAP. XXIV.

THESE two Chapters of Kings and of Chronicles, consist of two General Heads, First, The good Government of Joash during Jehoiada's Life, wherein Joash's Acts were laudable and to be commended. And the Second is, Joash's Apostasy from good∣ness, after Jehoiada's Death, where his Actions were Illaudable, and to be condemn∣ed.

Remarks upon the first Part, are First, All Joash's Acts in General were right, as to the Matter while Jehoiada lived, but they were not upright as to the Manner of them in the sight of God, ver. 2. here, and 2 Chron. 24.2. Education moveth somewhat, though it be only an external Motive: So Nero was good (saith Grotius) for his first five Years, while

he made use of his good Master Seneca, who wrote his excellent Book de Clemontiâ for his Direction, which had such an influence upon him, that when desired to set his hand to the Warrant for the Execution of a condemned Person, he cried out [Ʋti∣nam nescirem literas] I wish I had never learn'd to write, so loath he was to sign it.

Remark the Second, Joash's freeness and forwardness to repair the breaches and ruines of the Temple, which had been notoriously neglected (if not abused) by his Idolatrous Pre∣decessors, especially by the Sons of Athaliah, ver. 7. Jehoiada did what he could to make Joash good, and therefore he provided Wives for him, 2 Chron. 24.3. N.B. Well knowing the mischief that Jezebel the Wife of Ahab and Athaliah the Wife of Jeho∣ram had wrought in Israel and Judah: Therefore this good High-Priest provideth, that this King should not miscarry by such mischievous Matches: Now the first good Act of this Young King was [He was minded to repair the Temple] 2 Chron. 24.4. 2 Kings 12.4, 5. hereby he testified his thankfulness to God, who had so safely hid him in that House for six Years from the bloody Hands of the usurping and tyrannical Queen.

Remark the Third; This young King (doubtless by Jehoiada's Direction, for what could his own Father, had he been living, have done more for him, than to provide him Wives, and give him continually all good Counsel?) commands that all the Half Shekels. Exod. 30.12, 13, &c. payable by all above Twenty, that perpetual Poll-Mony, called the Collection of Moses, appointed for the use of the Tabernacle and Temple for ever, yea and all the Redemption-Mony, Levit. 27.2, &c. and all the Free-will Offerings of the People, Exod. 35.5, &c. All these vast Summs shall be laid out only for Repair∣ing the Temple, wherein the Lord had so marvelously preserved him from the Mur∣deress his Mother, to make up the Breaches which the Temple had contracted by An∣tiquity (having now stood 155 Years) or by the Iniquity of those later times, 2 Chron. 24.5, 6, 7, &c.

Remark the Fourth; The fervency of Joash's Zeal, though but an Hypocrite, yet it seems he chides even Jehoiada his Tutor and Foster-father, because the Priests neglect∣ed to repair the Temple according to his Royal command, 2 Kings 12.5, 6, 7. and 2 Chron. 24.5, 6, 7. So zealous was Joash (saith De Dieu) that he bids the Priests and Levites pass through the Land, and gather this Poll-Mony of the People in all parts, and not stay at their own homes till the people brought it to them. Menochius notes well here, That Joash found the Priests negligent, partly because they gathered not the Mony for themselves, but for the Temple, they had no benefit by it, but their Labour for their pains, taking the Mony with one hand, and paying it with the other. N. B. We love to see something coming out of our Labour, which otherwise hath but little Life in it; and partly (he saith from Josephus) that the people were backward to part with their Poll-Mony, not daring as yet to trust the Priests with it, until their Faith∣fulness was after made apparent, ver. 15. and partly (saith Grotius) because publick Work is always least promoted; what is the care of all men, is oft the care of no man; 'tis a vulgar saying, The mean Pot boils but meanly. However, Joash chides Jehoiada for this neglect, which shews (saith Grotius) that Kings have the care of Sacred as well as of Civil Mat∣ters committed to them: N. B. To which I add, And that Kings may reprove the High-Priest the Pope: 'Tis a wonder so good a Man (as Jehoiada was) should stand in any need of quickning from the King, who now, though a mere Temporary, yet was the fore Horse (as we may say) in the Teem, the Ring-leader of his best Officers to a good Office and Exercise, &c.

Remark the Fifth; Josephus excuseth Jehoiada, saying, That it was the High-Priest him∣self who excited Joash to call the Priests to an account, and to call him among the rest, because he could not so well prevail with them to be more diligent in promoting this publick Work. Others make this Apology for Jehoiada, that he was now grown very old, it being in the Three and twentieth Year of King Joash, ver. 6. King Jebu dying the Year before, and leaving the Kingdom of Israel to his Son Jehoaaz: At this time 'tis said expresly, that [Jehoiada was grown very old,] 2 Chron. 24.15. which might be the cause of his Remissness, ver. 6. his Generation-work being now in a manner done, and therefore Joash took new and other measures for carrying on more effectually his Temple-work.

Remark the Sixth; When Joash saw the Mony the Priests collected abroad in the Country, was converted to other Uses, and not to the right end for Repairing the Temple, the King commands the Priests to gather no more Poll-Mony, but orders old Jehoiada to set up a Chest (like our poor Man's Box) besides the Altar of Burnt offering, 2 Kings 12.8, 9. 2 Chron. 24.8. and this means did prove effectual, for much Money was put into the Chest, both Trespass-mony for omission of good, and Sin-mony for com∣mission

of evil (saith Tostatus;) This was put into such Officers Hands as dealt faith∣fully. The Fabrick was perfectly finish'd by them, ver. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 2 Chron. 24.10, to 13. yea and new Vessels, ver. 14. instead of those Athaliah's sacrilegious Sons had stoln away, ver. 7.

Remark the Seventh; Jehoiada lived the Supporter both of Church and State, until he was an Hundred and thirty Years old, and then died, 2 Chron. 24.15. It was doubt∣less a great Blessing to the Kingdom of Judah, that he continued so long in it, which was an extraordinary Age in those times for him to live up to: And such an high Vene∣ration the People had for him, that they buried him among the Kings a very great Honour done to him at his Death, because he had done so much good in his Life, both in Repairing God's House, and restoring God's Worship to be performed therein, when so re∣pair'd. Yea, and restoring the Kingdom to the House of David, in the Preservation of Joash, &c.

The Second Sort of Joash's Actions were his Illandable Actions.

Remark the First; His not taking away the High Places, ver. 3. but this was while Jehoiada lived, so not so bad as after his Death: for Custom (that Tyrant of three Letters, Mos) had so prevailed, and riveted these high Places in the Hearts of a fond People, that the former Kings, of riper Years than Joash, and more firmly settled on their Thrones, and having greater power than Joash, yet could not remove them; no wonder then if Jehoiada was constrained to tolerate them, upon which the People so no∣toriously doted; insomuch that Jehoiada durst not advise the young King Joash to cross the Mobile in this Superstition they had so fondly espoused, lest it should cause a Tumult, and lest (as a learned Expositor expresseth it) the Multitude should mind more Commo∣tioners than Commissioners, and be more guided by Rage than by Right, Violence and Obstinacy, like two untamed Chariot-Horses, hurrying forward their precipitant passionate Desires in a blindfold Career. Therefore good Jehoiada was forced to forbear, as 1 Kings 15.14. and the rather, because the Matter was good, the People Sacrificing to the Lord there, and not to any Idol: So the thing was warrantable, but the place only was un∣warrantable, Deut. 12.11, 13, 14.

Remark the Second; But after Jehoiada's Death, Joash permitted deplorable Ido∣latry to be restored in the Kingdom, 2 Chron. 24.17, 18. Those cursed Court-Parasites (who had dissemblingly concealed their Idolatrous Minds all the days of Jehoiada) came cringing to the King as soon as Jehoiada was dead, and perswaded this Ambitionist, that during his Tutor's Days, he was a King without a Kingdom, a Lord without a Lord∣ship or Dominion, no better than a Subject to his Subjects, &c. that he should do well to assume to himself his Royal Power, and (as Menochius, Osiander, &c. say) they de∣sired him to shew his Royalty, in granting Liberty to every Man, to Worship God as he listed, and where he best liked, and not be tied to the Temple, &c. yea, a Liberty to recal the Worship of Baal, &c. [The King hearkned to them] Grotius here quotes Curtius, say∣ing, Flattery is more mischievous to Kings than an Enemy, when they give Ear to it; fair Words make facile Fools fain, and Princes minds are easily altered for the worst thereby, as Joash was here, who was soon wheedl'd into base Apostasy, &c.

Remark the Third; No sooner had those Court-Parasites prevailed with Joash for a Liberty to Worship God in the old High places, but presently they Worshipped Baal there, ver. 18, 19. for which Wrath came down upon them by Hazael King of Syria, 2 Kings 12.17, 18. when Jehoiada was dead (so great a loss to a Kingdom is the death of a Godly Governor) and when Joash was relapsed into Idolatry. Principium fervet, medium tepet, exitus alget, was the Character of this Apostate. So zealous was Joash at the first, as to rebuke even good Jehoiada, for his Remisness in Repairing the Temple as before; he was too hot to hold, he is now grown stone-cold for God, and as hot for Idols, when he had lost his Religion, he lost his peace of the Kingdom, for then the Lord let loose the King of Syria upon him, as after, &c.

Remark the Fourth; Joash's Tyranny, the Daughter of his Apostasy into Idolatry, and that with Obstinacy: Such was God's pity and patience towards his own people, that he sent Prophets to protest against their back-slidings, and to fore-signifie his future Judg∣ments, 2 Chron. 24.19. yea, the Spirit of the Lord came upon Zechariah the Son of Je∣hoiada, ver. 20. who set himself in an higher Place, that his Message from the Lord might be the better heard, and he earnestly inveighed against the wicked ways of King, Princes and People. Hereupon all these three conspire against him, Tyrants are Teachy, tange montes & fumigabunt, Touch great Men-Mountains, and they will smoake; no∣thing but silken words will down with them; the corrupt Courtiers taxed him as a Traytor to the King, the King commands to stone him, ver. 21. who as they were

stoning him, cryed out [Lord look upon it, and require it] ver. 22. that is [Make Inquisi∣tion for my innocent blood]; or it may be read, saith Piscator, &c. [The Lord will require and requite it;] So it is a Prophecy rather than a Prayer, for 'tis not probable so pious a Prophet would die with a desire of private Revenge, contrary to Christ's, Luke 23.34. and Stephen's practice, Acts 7.60. unless it were to distinguish the severe Temper and Spirit of the Law from that sweet one of the Gospel.

Remark the Fifth; God Answers Zachary's Prayer or Prophecy, from ver. 23. of 2 Chron. 24 to the end, and 2 Kings 12.17. to the end: Joash (for this monstrous Ingratitude to Jehoiada. to whom he owed his own Life and Kingdom, thus to requite him in Murdering his Son, merely for giving him faithful Counsel) never enjoyed good day after; for, 1. The Syrians executed God's Vengeance upon him and his People, tho' Joash hired off Hazael by a great Bribe in his first Invasion, 2 Kings 12.17, 18. yet the next Year he returns again, spoils Jerusalem, kills the cursed Claw-backs that had spoil'd a good King, and so basely whips and tortures Joash himself (saith Grotius, Piscator, &c.) that he fell grievously sick upon it, 2 Chron. 24.23, 24, 25. And, 2. his own Servants (which Josephus saith were Zachary's Friends) executed God's Vengeance upon him for Murdering Zachary, only for his plain Dealing: The Syrians left him diseased only, that he might have time to repent, but because he repented not, his Servants left him dead; God was just, though they were unjust. N. B. Christ declares how this innocent Blood lay upon the Jews from Age to Age, Matth. 23.35. where Jehoiada is called Barachias, the blessed one, Hebr. (as Solomon is Jedidiah, one beloved of God) for Honour's sake, &c.