CONTENTS
We are brought acquainted in this chapter with Josiah, the good king.
Many of his pious deeds are recounted. The book of the law is found by
Hilkiah. Shaphan reads in it before the king. Josiah's pious weeping
in the rehearsal. He sendeth with humbleness to inquire of the Lord.
The Lord's... [ Continue Reading ]
The most interesting circumstances for a gospel Reader to mark in
those verses are the wonderful properties of grace. Josiah could
derive nothing from his wicked father, either in precept or example,
but what was evil. And yet we find in his early days tokens of grace.
Oh! Reader! how sure and certa... [ Continue Reading ]
If the Reader will read the parallel history of this pious king, as it
is more largely recorded in the book of the Chronicles, 2 Chronicles
34:1. he will there find that in the eighth year of his reign, which
was the sixteenth of his life, he began to seek after the God of David
his Father. Oh! how... [ Continue Reading ]
This is a most interesting verse. It should seem very plain that
during the long period that idolatry had prevailed in the land, not
only the temple had been suffered to fall into ruins; but the very
word of God had been so disregarded, that not a copy of it was among
the people. It was God's comman... [ Continue Reading ]
What an interesting account this is! What a wonderful effect must have
been wrought upon the minds of all the people, in the discovery of
this inestimable treasure? How lovely a representation is given of
Josiah? Surely all the people must have followed his example. Oh!
Lord! what cause is there now... [ Continue Reading ]
How gracious an enquiry. Josiah compared the threatenings of God's law
with the magnitude of the sins of the people, and he felt the dreaded
punishment as already at the door. These are sure signs of a work of
grace, when the inquiry goes forth in earnestness, What must I do to
be saved! And when th... [ Continue Reading ]
According to the dates of the prophets, Jeremiah had been preaching
his sermons for five years before this event took place; and Zephaniah
ministered much about the same time; yet Huldah, like another Deborah,
was chosen of the Lord to be his servant on this business. And what a
solemn strain is her... [ Continue Reading ]
How delightful are personal mercies, when the Lord separates between
the precious and the vile; when the word of the gospel comes with
distinguishing direction like a letter, to you is the word of this
salvation sent. Josiah must have felt peculiar pleasure in this, to
allay the grief, of his mind,... [ Continue Reading ]
REFLECTIONS
READER! are you young in years! behold the loveliness of early piety.
What can afford a more interesting sight than to see our youths in the
first days of their strength, asking the way to Zion, with their faces
thitherward, to join themselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant
which c... [ Continue Reading ]