The History of the Old Testament Methodized

AMON was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned two years. He did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the evil ways his Father had walked in, and served the Idols his Father had served, and worshipped them, and forsook the Lord God of his Fathers, and walked not in his ways: He renewed such Idolatrous carved images as his Father had made, and sacrificed to them. He did evil as his Father had done, but he repented not nor humbled himself before the Lord as his Father had done, but trespassed more and more.

2 King. 21, from 19, to 23.

2 Chron. 33. from 21, to 24.

This impious King was at last slain by his own servants in his own house, and his death was revenged on those servants by the people of the land, who made his Son Josiah King in his stead. He was buried in the same Garden his Father Manasseh was buried in.

2 King. 21. from v. 19. to the end.

2 Chron. 33 from v. 24, to the end.

IOSIAH was eight years old when he began to reign (the youngest King that ever sat upon the Throne of Judah ) and reigned thirty one years in Jerusalem. He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the ways of David his Father. In the eighth year of his reign (and sixteenth of his life) he began to seek after the God of David his Father, and to inquire how he might serve the Lord aright, and did openly declare and manifest his Religious care to set up and further the true worship of God; and in the twelfth year of his reign (and twentieth of his life) he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved and molten images, and from all that filth of Idolatry wherein they had so long lain; which he did with a great deal of zeal and fervency of spirit.

2 Chron. 34.1, 2, 3.

2 King. 22.1, 2.

In the thirteenth year of his reign the Prophet Jeremy began to Prophesy [ Jer. 1.2.] by whom doubtless Josiah was much encouraged in the ways of Piety. The Collector of his Prophesies did not set down all things in the order of time as they were done, but possibly as they came to his hands. Jeremy Prophesied eighteen years in Josiah 's time, eleven in Jehoiakim 's, and eleven in Zedekiah 's; so that he bore the iniquity of the house of Judah forty years, [see Ezek. 4.6.]

In the eighteenth year of his reign and twenty sixth of his life, he began to set upon repairing of the Temple, and sent Shaphat the Scribe, and Maaseiah, and Ioah, (great officers of State, 2 Chron. 34.8.) to Hilkiah the High Priest, that the money that had been collected for that use might be delivered into the hands of the overseers of the work (who were faithful men ) therewith to buy materials to repair the Temple , and the Chambers of the Priests and Levites, (which some of the Idolatrous Kings of Judah had suffered to run to decay ) and to pay the workmen that so the work might go on. Hilkiah doing accordingly, and going in hand with the work, as he was searching into those parts of the Temple that needed repair, he found the original copy of the Law written by Moses, (which was at first laid up in the side of the Ark of the Covenant, Deut. 31.24, 25, 26. which seemeth to have been missing ever since the beginning of Manasseh 's reign, who possibly at first endeavored to burn all the Books of the Law, and so this Book was hid in some secret place of the Temple by some faithful Priest that it might be preserved for future times. Hilkiah having found it, he sent it by Shaphan the Scribe unto the King, who having heard it read all over to him was exceedingly affected therewith, and rent his clothes, and more especially (as 'tis likely) at those dreadful threatenings against Idolatry which are written in Levite. 26. & Deut. 28. Hereupon he immediately sent to Huldah a famous Prophetess, (who dwelt in Jerusalem in the suburbs or second part) and desired her to ask counsel of the Lord for him; Jeremiah possibly being not then at Jerusalem, but at Anathoth. For Josiah hearing those curses in the Law denounced against Idolatry, and knowing how much some of his Predecessors had been guilty thereof, he much seared lest the judgments threatened in that Book might fall upon him and his people, and desired to know whither there might be any means to pacify God's wrath, and prevent those judgments. Huldah returned this answer, Thus saith the Lord, Behold I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the curses written in the Book, which the King of Judah hath read, because they have forsaken me, and burnt incense to other gods, and have provoked me to anger with the works of their hands, (viz. their idols and altars) therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched; (intimating the utter extirpation of the Jews out of that good land) but to the King of Judah who sent you, say to him, Thus saith the Lord, as touching the words and threatenings which thou hast heard read out of the Book, because thy heart was tender, (and soon moved at the hearing of my threatenings) and thou hast humbled thyself before me when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, (that is have the curses written in this Book executed upon it) and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me, Behold I will gather thee unto thy pious ancestors in heaven before these dreadful calamities shall fall upon this place and people, and thou shalt be gathered unto thy grave in peace.

This answer of Huldahs being brought to the King, his heart was so affected with it that to prevent (if it were possible) this judgment threatened, he called together the Elders of Judah and Jerusalem, together with the Priests and Prophets, (viz. Jeremy, Baruck, Zephaniah and Uriah ) and the people both small and great, and caused one of the Levites to read in their ears all the words of the Book of the Covenant , so called because it contained the Covenant that God made with the people of Israel. See 1 King. 8.9.

And the King stood by the Pillar on the Brasen Scaffold, (or on some Throne erected by a pillar in the Temple for him to stand upon at that time ), and there solemnly made a Covenant before the Lord in his own name, and the name of the people to walk after the Lord, that is, to observe what he prescribed unto them, and to keep his commandments, testimonies and statutes with all their heart, and with all their soul, and to perform the words of the Covenant written in that Book, and he caused all that were present to give their consent to it, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem were the most forward to engage themselves to walk according to the Covenant of the Lord God of their Fathers, and did accordingly so walk.

Then the King commanded Hilkiah the High Priest and the Priests that were next unto him, and the Levites to bring forth out of the Temple all the vessels that were made for Baal, and used in his worship, or in the Idolatrous worship of the Groves, or of the Host of Heaven, and he burnt them in the field by which the river Kidron did run, and carried the ashes of them to Bethel, therewith to defile the prime seat of Jeroboams Idolatry. These things had been used by Manasseh and Amon, but were set aside (as it seems) in some by-place of the Temple in Josiah 's time, and seeing still they remained there, this good King's zeal would not permit them to be there any longer. And he put down the Idolatrous Priests or Chemarim whom the Kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in high places in the Cities of Judah, and in places round about Jerusalem. He put down those also who burnt incense to Baal, or to the Sun, Moon, and the Planets and host of heaven, and he brought out the Image whereon a grove was engraven, which (it seems) was hung up in the Temple, and stamped it to powder, and cast the dust thereof upon the graves of those that had worshipped Idols, and sacrificed unto them, 2 Chron. 34.4. And he brake down the Tents of the Sodomites that were in the grove by the house of the Lord, and where the women wove hangings for those filthy tents; so that in that grove they not only worshipped Idols but (as it seems) defiled themselves also with all manner of abominable uncleanness. And he brought all the Priests that were the Sons of Aaron (and had served the true God in high places) out of the Cities where they had exercised that false worship and would not suffer them to live there, and he defiled the high places even from Geba the North border of the Kingdom of Judah to Beersheba the South-border, and beat down their Altars, and burned dead men's bones on them, v. 14. to make them unclean; and brake down the high places that were erected at the entering of the Gates by Joshua the Governor of the City (whither it seems many of the people used to resort) so that in his reformation he spared neither the high places of great or small. And the Priests of these high places he permitted not to offer sacrifice at the Altar in the Temple, yet he permitted them to eat of the unleavened bread, that is of the show-bread, and such provisions as were allotted for the maintenance of the Priests. Also he defiled Tophet an high place in the valley of the Son of Hinnon near Jerusalem, [Josh. 15.8. by casting dead men's bones into it, that none might hereafter sacrifice his Son to Molech in that place as they had used to do. Moreover he took away the horses that had been nourished and kept to carry men with speed from the Gate of the house of the Lord to the chamber or house of Nathan-Melech the Chamberlain, which was in the suburbs of the City of David, where they might see the Sun rise, and so might worship it at its first appearing, which was an Idolatrous practice of the Persians, and (it seems) the Israelites had learned it from them. And he burnt the Chariots wherein the worshippers of the Sun were carried (by the help of those horses) to see the Sun rise; or perhaps the Idolatrous. Israelites might set a glorious image of the Sun in one of those Chariots which at sometimes was drawn up and down by those horses for all sorts of people to see and adore. And therefore he is said to have burnt the Chariots but to have taken away the horses. Furthermore the Altars that were on the flat roof of an upper Chamber of Ahaz, which possibly he made to sacrifice thereon to the Sun, Moon and Stars, [see Jer. 19.13. & Zeph. 1.4, 5.] And the Altars which Manasseh had made in the two Courts of the Lord's house did he break to pieces. For though Manasseh after his repentance did cast out of the City all the Idolatrous Altars that he had made, [see 2 Chron. 33.15.] yet possibly Amon his Son might restore them to their places again, and so they might have continued until now, but Josiah now tumbleth them down, breaks them to pieces, and beats them to powder, and casts the dust of them into the brook Kidron. And the high places which were near Jerusalem on the right hand of the mount of corruption, (viz. Mount Olivet so called because it was so full of Idols in the days of Solomon , wherewith the people corrupted themselves, Deut. 32.5.) he defiled, as he had done other high places before. 'It is like those high places were defaced by Asa or Jehoshaphat, or Hezekiah, but Amon might put them to those Idolatrous uses for which they were before erected, and thereupon Josiah took occasion utterly to demolish them, that they might never again be used for any such purpose. Thus we see how zealously this good King endeavored a thorough reformation by breaking in pieces Idolatrous Images, and cutting down Idolatrous Groves, and defiling those those places with dead men's bones, that they might never be used for those purposes again.

2 King. 22. from 3, to the end.

Chap. 23. from 1, to the 15.

2 Chron. 34. from 8, to the end.

Josiah now proceeds further in his reformation even to the Cities of the Ten Tribes, which he had any power over; and first he went to Bethel, where coming to the high-place which Jeroboam the first had there made, and seeing many sepulchers in the mount of the Idolatrous Priests that had been there buried. He (undoubtedly by a special instinct from God) caused their bones to be taken up, and burnt them on that Altar, and thereby polluted it according to the word of the Lord which the man of God spake, 1 King. 13.2. Who cried against that Altar in the word of the Lord, and said, O Altar, Altar, thus saith the Lord, Behold a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name, and upon thee shall he offer the Priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's bones shall be burnt upon thee. Then looking about he saw an inscription upon a monument, and inquiring what it signified, the men of the City told him it was the sepulcher of the man of God, who came from Judah and foretold that Josiah should do these things. And the old Prophet that seduced him buried him in that sepulcher; and gave order that he himself should be there buried also, and that there should be an inscription made, declaring that there the man of God was buried, that when the time came that the things which he had prophesied should be fulfilled, his sepulcher might hereby be known from the rest, and so neither the bones of the man of God, nor his own bones might be disturbed. Josiah being satisfied by the inscription whose sepulcher it was, he gave order that the bones of those two Prophets should not be disturbed, and so the old Prophets desire was fulfilled, see 1 King. 13.31, 32. Then he brake down the high place, and the Altar, and stamped it small to powder, and burnt the Grove where the high place was. Then he proceeded to the Cities of Manasseh, Ephraim and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, and caused the Altars and graven Images to be broken down with mattocks, and did unto them as he had done at Bethel. And such Idolatrous Priests as he met with, who sacrificed to false gods, and opposed him in this reformation, he slew upon their Altars, and therein fulfilled what was long since prophesied, 1 King. 13.1, 2. And Josiah took away all the abominations out of the Countries that belonged to the children of Israel (over which he had power) and caused all of them (as much as he could) to serve the Lord their God, and all his days they departed not from following the Lord God of their Fathers, 2 Chron. 34.33. Whereby it appears that though the Ten Tribes were carried away captive into Assyria, yet there were some both of the Priests and people, that either were left behind, or returned again into the land of Samaria. It appears also that the greatest part of the Kingdom of Samaria was at this time under the power of Josiah, which possibly the King of Babylon (who set Manasseh at liberty) might give him with his liberty on condition that he should defend his Territories against the Egyptians, who began in those times with great power and success to oppose the Babylonians.

2 King. 23. from 15, to 21.

2 Chron. 34. from 4, to 8.

In the same 18th. year of his reign, on the 14th. day of the first Month, in the presence of the people of Judah and Israel, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, he kept the Feast of the Passover. And he set the Priests in their charges, and encouraged them to perform the service of the house of the Lord. And he said to the Levites, (that is, to the Priests of the Tribe of Levi, who prepared the holy things of the Lord) Put the holy Ark in the house of the Lord. It seems the Ark in Amon 's reign had been carried out of the most holy place, possibly that some Idol might be set up in its room. Or else it had been purposely carried out by some pious Priests, that it might not stand there among those heathenish Idols that were brought into the Temple; and now Josiah orders it to be restored to its proper place again, telling the Priests that it would not now be a burden unto them ; it must abide in the Temple, and not be carried from place to place upon their shoulders as formerly it had been before the Temple was built; and they being now delivered from that burden should serve the Lord their God more faithfully and cheerfully, and should serve his people also by diligently instructing them,and performing those services for them that tended to their spiritual good. And because several families of the Levites were appointed to attend upon the sacrifices and offerings of several families of each Tribe, some being to be employ'd in that holy service for such and such families, and others for others, therefore he appoints them to stand in the holy place and to attend the service that was to be done, according to the divisions of the families of the people, and according to the division of their own families. He exhorts them also to sanctify themselves, and to prepare the sacrifices for the Priests to offer, that they might do their duty as God had enjoin'd them. Then Josiah gave to the people for Passover offerings, viz. of lambs and kids (for either of these kinds might be offered) thirty thousand; and for other offerings three thousand bullocks, all of the herds and flocks that belonged to the King, [see 2 Chron. 30.24.] and his Princes gave also willingly and liberally to the Priests, Levites, and the people; and Hilkiah the High Priest, and Zachariah, and Jehiel, (who with the High Priest were Rulers over other Priests and Levites in the house of God) gave to the inferior Priests two thousand, and six hundred small cattle, and three hundred oxen. And six eminent Levites (who were Fathers, and Rulers over the rest of the Levites ) gave unto the inferior Levites for Passover-offerings five thousand small cattle, and for other offerings five hundred oxen. So all things fit and requisite for a solemn Passover were provided and made ready, and the Priests stood in their place, and the Levites in their order, according to the Kings Commandment. So they killed the Passover, every father of a family for himself and his family, and the Levites for themselves, and for other Levites, who were otherwise employed, and the Priests sprinkled the blood on the Altar which they received from their hands, and the Levites flayed the sacrifices; and they separated such sacrifices as were to be eaten from the burnt-offerings which were wholly to be consumed on the Altar, that so of the rest they might give to the people partly for Paschal lambs, partly for peace-offerings, whereof both Priests and people were to have a share. And they roasted the Passover with fire, but so much of the peace-offerings as was to be prepared for the offerers to eat before the Lord, they sod in pots and chaldrons, and pans, and so divided them among the people. Afterwards the Levites made ready for themselves, and for the Priests who being employed even until night in offering the burnt-offerings, and the fat, &c. had no time to provide for themselves. And the Singers stood in their places to perform their service according to the commandment of David. The Porters also attended at the Gates, and did not depart from their service during that solemnity, and thereupon the Levites prepared for them as they had done for the Priests. Thus all things that appertained to the service and worship of God, and to the keeping the Passover, and the offering of the burnt-offerings were duly performed that day according to the Kings command. And so they kept the Passover at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days after. And there was no Passover like to this kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the Prophet, neither did any of the Kings of Israel either David or Solomon, or any of the Kings of Judah since the division of the Kingdom keep such a Passover as Josiah now kept, if we consider the multitude of sacrifices that were offered and freely given by the King, Princes, Priests and Levites, and the exceeding joy of the good people, that Religion was restored again to its purity among them. Furthermore, Josiah took away all witches and sooth-sayers, all images and dunghill-gods, and all abominations which were found in the land of Judah, and in Jerusalem, that he might perform all the words that were written in the Book that was found by Hilkiah the Priest in the house of the Lord. And there was no King that was before him (in the Throne of Judah ) like unto him, or that followed after him if we consider the fervency of his zeal for the rooting out of Idolatry, and other abominations which had prevailed before his time, and if we consider the innocence and integrity of his life, and his diligent heeding the law of the Lord. We have indeed observed upon 2 King. 18.5. that in some particulars Hezekiah excelled him, but in others Josiah excelled Hezekiah, as in his contrition and deep humiliation for the wickedness that prevailed before his time, [see 2 King. 22.19.] His solemn making a Covenant with the Lord, and engaging his subjects therein to reform their ways; his solemn keeping of the Passover, his zealous purging not only Judah and Benjamin from Idolatry, but the Cities of Israel under his power; besides he was not puffed up with pride as Hezekiah was. But though Josiah was in his own person so excellent a Prince, yet (it seems) the people though they yielded to his reformation out of awe and respect to him, yet in their hearts many of them did still approve Manasseh 's wicked ways , and this soon appeared after Josiah 's death, for all his children did quickly return to Manasseh 's Idolatry, and followed him in his abominations but not in his repentance and conversion. The Lord thereupon said, I will remove Judah out of my sight as I have removed Israel, (that is, out of the land which I chose for my habitation, and to manifest my gracious presence in) and will cast off this City of Jerusalem which I have chosen, and the house of which I said my name shall be there.

2 King. 23. from 21, to 28.

2 Chron. 35. from 1, to 20.

Now after Josiah had prepared the Temple and settled the true worship of God therein, and made such a great reformation of all things, as we have before shewn, yet it so happened that in the thirty first year of his reign, Pharaoh Necho King of Egypt came up with his Army to fight against Carchemish a City lying upon the River Euphrates, which the King of Babylon (who was also now King of Assyria ) had taken from him. He entered the Kingdom of Judah with his Army, but designed only to pass thorough it to Carchemish without doing any injury or hurt to Josiah; but it seems Josiah thought himself bound in faith and honor to hinder his passage, and to prevent, as much as lay in him, his enterprize against the Babylonians to whom he was obliged either by Covenant made at the enlargement of Manasseh, or by their giving him that part of the Country which he held in the Kingdom of the Ten Tribes. Pharaoh Necho understanding he intended to oppose him, sent Ambassadors to him, one of whom personating their King, spake to him after this manner, What I have to do with thee thou King of Judah, I come not out against thee this day, but against the house of the Assyrian with whom I have war. For God hath commanded me (by some of his Prophets) to make hast and to assault them, therefore I advise thee to forbear hindering me who go out with God's commission, lest therein thou be found to oppose God himself, and he destroy thee for it. But it seems Josiah did not believe that he had warrant from God for what he did, and therefore resolved to oppose him, and fight with him; and being thus resolved he disguised himself that he might not be known in the battle to be the King, and that he might fight the more boldly and successfully; for he was sensible that if the enemy knew him they would bend their chief force against him. The Armies met and came to a battle in the valley of Megiddo in the Tribe of Manasseh near Hadadrimmon, the Archers of the Egyptians shot desperately at Josiah, either suspecting him to be the King, or else observing his valor in the fight they were the more provoked to aim at him, and to endeavor to take him off as a principal enemy. But so it was, that he was thereby sorely wounded in his chariot, and thereupon spake to his servants to have him out of the fight, which they did, and put him into another chariot, intending to bring him to Jerusalem, but being mortally wounded he died in the way. Thus God punished the wickedness of the people by taking away their good King from them. And because he died before those troubles and calamities fell upon that Nation which Huldah the Prophetess foretold, and which afterwards ensued, and whilst the Kingdom was in a flourishing condition, and died in the love and favor of God, therefore he may be said to be gathered to his grave in peace, according to Huldahs prediction. He was buried in one of the Sepulchers of his Fathers, and the whole people wonderfully lamented his death, and the Prophet Jeremiah more especially, who knew the evil that would follow after his death; and all the singing-men and singing-women spake of Josiah in their lamentations, and made mention of his death, even in the mournings they made for others, insomuch as it came to be a constant custom, and as it were a settled ordinance to speak of Josiah 's death in their doleful Elegies. And it grew almost into a common Proverb, The lamentation of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo, Zach. 12.11. And possibly upon the loss of so good a King, a law or ordinance was enacted that some doleful Elegies or lamentations should yearly be sung for him, and these were recorded and set down among other mournful Elegies, which upon occasions of public calamity were used to be sung.

2 Chron. 35. from 20, to the end.

1 King. 23. v. 29, 30.

The Prophet ZEPHANY Prophesied in this Kings reign, as Jeremy also did. His Prophesy may be divided into four parts:

1. He denounces dreadful judgments against Judah and Jerusalem, which should be distressed by the Chaldeans without, within, and in every corner, and there should be a great spoiling of their goods, and slaughtering of their people.

2. He sets before them the heinous sins that were found among them, which would draw these judgments upon them: 1. Idolatry in worshipping Baal, and the host of heaven. 2. Corrupting of Religion, and mingling the worship of Idols with that of the true God. 3. Apostasy after their solemn Covenant made with the Lord. 4. The pride of apparel among those of the Court and others. 5. Oppression. 6. Blasphemy, denying God's Providence. 7. Security in sinning, being settled upon their lees. 8. Infidelity. 9. Incorrigibleness. 10. Stupid incogitancy, being not moved to repent by the examples of God's judgments which they saw poured out upon the Nations round about them. 11. Tyranny in their Princes and Judges. 12. Vanity and treachery in their Prophets.

3. He exhorts them to repentance, and to seek the Lord, to seek righteousness, to seek meekness, and that speedily before the decree bring forth. Which if they would do, he tells them it may be they may be hid in the day of the Lord's anger. This he further urges upon them from the exemplary judgments that God would inflict on other Nations that were impenitent, viz. the Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites, Ethiopians and Assyrians.

4. And lastly he gives some gracious promises from the Lord to the faithful. He tells them the Lord would leave in the midst of them an afflicted and poor people, and they should trust in his name. He prophesies of the conversion of the Gentiles, and that they shall be joined to the Church. He promises the restauration of the Jews, and their return from captivity, and that God will destroy their afflicting adversaries, and will sanctify them, protect them, and take away their punishments; in contemplation of which he calls upon the daughter of Zion to rejoice, and especially in God's gracious presence and residence among them, and making them the satisfying object of his love, in so much he would rejoice over them to do them good, and would rest in his love .

WE read of four Sons Josiah had, 1 Chron. 3.15. Johanan, Jehoiakim, Zedekiah, and Shallum. Probably Johanan the first-born died before his Father, for of him we find nowhere else any mention. But the youngest Son Shallum having his name changed into Jehoahaz, (perhaps because of the ill fate of Shallum the Son of Jabesh King of Israel who reigned but one month, and was murdered by Menahem, 2 King. 15.13.) was anointed King by the people though he was the youngest of Josiah 's Sons, either because he was best affected to the King of Babylon, or most warlike and valiant, and so most likely to defend them against Necho King of Egypt. He was twenty three years old when he began to reign, and reigned only three months. He quickly fell to do that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, and presently set up the Idolatry that his Father Josiah had suppressed. It seems he also grievously oppressed the people, and therefore he is compared to a young lion which devoureth men, Ezek. 19.2, 3, 4.

The Prophet Jeremiah is sent by the Lord to the new Kings Palace, earnestly to exhort him and his Courtiers, and all the people to repentance and amendment of their lives, foretelling them that Shallum or Jehoahaz should be carried away captive into Egypt, and bidding the people not to weep for him that is departed (meaning Josiah ) but for him that is to depart (meaning Jehoahaz ) because he shall return no more to see his native soil. Ier. 22. from 1, to 13.

Pharaoh Necho returning with victory from Charchemish (where he vanquished the Babylonians ) was desirous to revenge the opposition he had received from Josiah, (who sought to stop him in his passage through his Country) and therefore making use of the dissention that was between Jehoahaz and Eliakim his Elder Brother, and getting Jehoahaz or Shallum into his power, he presently deposed him, (as if the Kingdom of Judea had been at his diposal) and set up his Eldest Brother Eliakim changing his name into Jehoiakim, and then imposing upon the land a Tribute of an hundred talents of silver, and one talent of gold, he put Shallum or Jehoahaz into fetters at Riblah, and carried him away with him prisoner into Egypt, where he ended his life.

2 King. 23. from 30, to 36.

2 Chron. 36. from 1, to 5.

JEHOIAKIM was twenty five years old when he began to reign, and reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. He did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, being an Idolater and a cruel oppresser of the people, and possibly the more out of revenge, because they had preferred his younger brother before him; his oppressions are notably set forth, Ier. 22. from 13, to 20. and Ezek. 19. from 5, to 10. But herein he manifested the greatness of his impiety that when the Prophets denounced the judgments of God against him and his people for their evil ways, he would not endure it, but persecuted them for it, as we shall show afterwards. He pays the King of Egypt the hundred talents of silver, and one talent of gold which he had imposed upon him, but he taxed the land for it, and exacted it of the people.

2 King. 23.35, 36, 37.

2 Chron. 36. v. 5.

In the beginning of his reign Jeremiah was commanded by God to stand in the Court of the Temple, and there to exhort the people assembled together out of all the Cities of Judah to repentance, it being then the Feast of Tabernacles, Thus saith the Lord stand in the Court of the Lord's house, and speak unto all the Cities of Judah which come to worship in the Lord's house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them, diminish not a word. If so be they will hearken, and turn every man from his evil way, that I may repent me of the evil which I purpose to do unto them, because of the evil of their doings; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord, if ye will not hearken to me to walk in my Law which I have set before you; to hearken to the words of my servants the Prophets whom I sent unto you rising up early and sending them , then will I make this house like Shiloh, and will make this City a curse to all the Nations of the earth. So the Priests and the Prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the Lord. And it came to pass when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak unto the people, the Priests and the Prophets and the people took him, saying thou shalt surely die. Why hast thou prophesied in the name of the Lord, saying, This house shall be like Shiloh, and this City shall be desolate without an inhabitant? And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of the Lord. When the Princes of Judah heard these things, they came up from the Kings house unto the house of the Lord, and sat down in the entry of the new gate of the Lord's house to understand what the matter was. Then spake the Priests and the Prophets unto the Princes and to all the people, saying, This man is worthy to die, for he hath prophesied against this City, and ye have heard it with your ears. Then spake Jeremiah unto the Princes, and to all the people, saying, The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house, and against this City all the words that ye have heard. Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the Lord your God, and the Lord will repent him of the evil he hath pronounced against you. As for me, behold I am in your hands, do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you. But know ye for certain that if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, and upon this City, and upon the inhabitants thereof, for of a truth the Lord hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears. Then said the Princes and the people unto the Priests and Prophets, This man is not worthy to die, for he hath spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God. Then rose up certain of the Elders of the land and spake to all the assembly of the people saying, Micah the Morasthite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah King of Judah, and spake to all the people of Judah, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Zion shall be plowed like a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest. Did Hezekiah King of Judah and all Judah put him at all to death? did he not fear the Lord, and besought the Lord, and the Lord repented him of the evil which he had pronounced against them? Therefore if we should proceed with that rigor you would have us against Jeremy we might procure great evil against our own souls.

Uriah also about the same time Prophesied against Judah and Jerusalem, agreeably to what Jeremy had done, for which the King sought to put him to death, but he flying thereupon into Egypt, the King by his messengers fetched him back again, and slew him with the sword, and cast his dead body among the vilest sepulchers of the common people; but Ahikam who had been of great authority with King Josiah (2 King. 22.12.) stickled so for Jeremy that he was not delivered over to the people to be put to death.

Jer. 26. whole Chapter.

In the beginning also of this Kings reign the word of the Lord came to Jeremy, and gave him a Prophesy which was afterwards to be executed in the days of Zedekiah, whereby he intimated to him that Zedekiah should be King of Judah, and Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon, and that he should subdue the neighbouring Nations, and bring them under his power. In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the Son of Josiah King of Judah (says he) came this word unto me from the Lord, Make thee bonds and yokes, and put them upon thy neck, and send them to the King of Edom, and to the King of Moab, and to the King of the Ammonites, and to the King of Tyrus, and to the King of Zidon, by the hand of the messengers which came to Jerusalem unto Zedekiah King of Judah, and command them to say unto their Masters, thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel, I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground by my great power, and by my out-stretched arm, and have given it unto whom it seemed meet unto me; and now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon my servant , and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him. And all Nations shall serve him and his son, and his sons son, until the very time of his land come , and then many Nations and great Kings shall serve themselves of him . And it shall come to pass that the Nation and Kingdom which will not serve Nebuchadnezzar, and will not put their neck under his yoke, that Nation will I punish, saith the Lord, with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I have consumed them. Therefore hearken not to your Prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your enchanters, no to your sorcerers which speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the King of Babylon; for they prophesy a lie unto you, to remove you far from your land , and that I should drive you out and ye should perish. But the Nations that bring their neck under his yoke, and serve him, those will I let remain still in their own land, saith the Lord, and they shall till it and dwell therein.

Jer. 27. from v. 1, to 12.

Jehoiakim in the second year of his reign according to the accustomed policy of his forefathers (the better to prevent all changes, and settle the Kingdom in his line) made his Son Jehoiakim or Jeconiah King with him, being then but eight years old, 2 Chron. 36.9.

In the latter end of the third, and beginning of the fourth year of Jehoiakim, Nebuchadnezzar being joined with his father in the administration of the Kingdom of Babylon, the things that he was to act are presently revealed to the Prophet Jeremy; namely that he should overthrow the Egyptians, first at the river Euphrates, (which immediately after followed, he cutting off the forces that Pharaoh Necoh left at Carchemish that very year ) and then that he should conquer the Egyptians in their own Country, which came not to pass till after the taking of Tyre in the 27th. year of the captivity of Jeconiah, as we find Ezek. 29. from 17, to 21. Jer. 46. from 1, to 27.

In the self-same fourth year of Jehoiakim, (which was the first of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon ) the Prophet Jeremiah reproving the Jews for not hearkening to the word of the Lord, which from time to time he had spoken to them even from the thirteenth year of King Josiah to that present fourth year of Jehoiakim (which was three and twenty years ) and for that they had shown themselves stubborn and refractory to his admonitions, as also to the warnings of all the other Prophets the Lord had sent unto them, he then again told them of the coming of Nebuchadnezzar upon them, and that they should be carried away captive to Babylon, and that captivity should last seventy years, which term Judah first, and then the other Nations there mentioned, everyone in their order were to serve the King of Babylon; and at last the Kingdom of Babylon itself should be destroyed. An intimation of which seventy years captivity was long before made by the Prophet, Isa. 23.15. And it shall come to pass in that day that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years according to the days of one King . And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the Lord will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the Kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth. Jer. 25. wh. Ch.

In the same year also Baruch wrote in a roll or scroll of parchment from the mouth of the Prophet Jeremy, all the words of the Lord which he had spoken to him concerning Israel and Judah from the time of Josiah to that day, and he read them in the Court of the house of the Lord in the audience of all the people which were there assembled out of all their Cities on the day of their solemn fast, which they yearly kept upon the tenth day of the seventh month. As for Baruch himself (who was extremely afflicted in his soul with the apprehension of those direful judgments he had written) the Prophet Jeremiah comforted him, and assured him of his own life amidst all these calamities. Ier. 36. from 1, to 9. Ier. 45. wh. Ch.

Nebuchadnezzar having vanquished the Egyptians about the banks of Euphrates, [Ier. 46.1, 2.] and approaching now with his forces towards Judea to besiege Jerusalem, the Recabites of the posterity of Jonadab the Son of Recab (2 King. 10.15.) leaving their Tents (wherein by the rule of their forefather Jonadab they were wont to dwell) came into Jerusalem, and by their obedience in refusing to drink wine, God condemneth the disobedience of the Jews. Ier. 35. wh. Ch.

Nebuchadnezzar having brought his forces before Jerusalem in a short time takes it, and Jehoiakim prisoner, whom he bound in chains, intending at first as it should seem to carry him to Babylon, but was afterwards entreated upon his submission and promises of subjection, to leave him as his vassal, and so Jehoiakim became his servant and tributary three years, to wit the fifth, sixth and seventh years of his reign. From which entering of the King and people of the Jews into subjection to Nebuchadnezzar, some think the seventy years of the Captivity are to be reckoned, which were foretold by the Prophet Jeremiah, Chap. 25.11. And this whole land shall be a desolation and an astonishment, and these Nations shall serve the King of Babylon seventy years. Ver. 12. And it shall come to pass when seventy years are accomplished that I will punish the King of Babylon, and that Nation (saith the Lord) for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations. And Chap. 29.10. Thus saith the Lord, after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon, I will visit you, and perform my good word towards you in causing you to return to this place. 2 Chron. 36.6. 2 King. 24.1.

Nebuchadnezzar carried away at this time part of the vessels and furniture of the Lord's house, and gave command to Ashpenaz the Overseer of the Eunuchs or Pages, that he should carry from thence some of the choicest boys both for beauty and wit that he could find, and such as were of the Royal blood, and of the noblest families (as had been expressly foretold by the Prophet, Isa. 39.7. And of thy Sons that shall issue from thee which thou shalt beget, shall they take away, and they shall be Eunuchs in the palace of the King of Babylon ); which being by his care educated for three years in the language and sciences of the Chaldeans, might be fit afterwards to wait upon him in his Palace. Among whom of the Tribe of Judah were Daniel, whom the overseer of the Eunuchs called Belteshazzar, and Hananiah whom he called Shadrach, Mishael whom he called Meshach, and Ananiah whom he called Abednego, everyone of them having his name changed at his discretion. These with several others Nebuchadnezzar carried away at this time. Dan. 1. from 1, to 8. 1 Chron. 36.7.

In the ninth month of the fifth year of Jehoiakim there was a solemn fast proclaimed to all the people at Jerusalem, in remembrance (as it seems) of the taking of the City a year before in the same month, at which time Baruch standing at the Gate of the house of the Lord, read out of a roll or book all the words of the Lord which he had taken from the mouth of Jeremy the Prophet, in the audience of all the people, who were then assembled out of all the Cities of Judah; whereof the Princes being advertis'd, called Baruch unto them, and caused him to read to them the same book; but when they heard the contents thereof, they advised him and Jeremy to hide themselves out of the way for fear of the Kings displeasure. But the King himself having heard some inkling of it, would needs have the roll or book read unto him, and having heard some part of it, he was so inrag'd at it that he cut the roll through with a pen-knife, and then threw it into the fire and burnt it. Jer. 36. from 9, to 26.

The King having thus burnt the Book, he gave order for the apprehending of Baruch the writer, and Jeremy the Prophet, but God hid them, and denounced a heavy judgment against that impious King for it. And God commands Jeremiah to take another roll, and Baruch wrote therein from the mouth of the Prophet all the words of the Book which Jehoiakim had burnt, adding many like things thereunto. Jer. 36. from v. 26, to the end.

Nebuchadnezzar pursuing the victory he had gotten over the Egyptians, took from them all that they possessed between Egypt and Euphrates, so that from thence forward Necho was fain to keep himself within his own bounds in Egypt. 2 King. 24.7.

While these things were doing Nabopolassar the father of Nebuchadnezzar dies, which news coming to Nebuchadnezzar he made no delay but after he had given order for the bringing away of the captives as well Jews as others, he posted with a small company the nearest way through the desert, and came to Babylon before them, and being received there as sole Lord of all his fathers large Dominions, he afterwards disposed of the captives (when they were brought thither) here and there as he thought fit. And the Sacred vessels and other furniture of the Temple which he had taken away from Jerusalem, he disposed into the Temple of his god Belus. Dan. 1.2. 2 Chron. 36.7.

Daniel and his three fellow Nobles being brought to Babylon, refuse the Court-diet provided for them, and content themselves with pulse and water, and yet were found to look better than those that did eat of the Kings fare. And when afterwards at the time appointed they were brought to attend the King, they appeared in all matters of knowledge, wisdom and sciences to excel all the Magicians and Astronomers that were in the Kingdom. And Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. Dan. 1. from 8, to the end.

Nebuchadnezzar in the second year after the three years of Daniel's education were past, and he brought to stand before the King (which falls in with the fifth year of his reign ) dreamt his dream of the great image made of divers metals, and forgetting the particulars of his dream, (though in the general it much affected him) he would needs know of his Magicians and Astronomers both what his dream was, and what it meant. And when they could not satisfy him in so unreasonable a demand, he like a great Tyrant commanded them all to be put to death. But Daniel when he saw the execution preparing, and understood the cause thereof, humbly moved the King to forbear a while, and joining in prayer with his fellows unto God, obtained both to have the dream itself, and the interpretation thereof revealed to him. And accordingly he declared to the King first the particulars of his dream, and then the interpretation thereof, showing him how the four Monarchies which were in their order to succeed one another was the thing signified by that great image made up of divers metals, which he saw in his dream. Whereupon the King enriched him presently with great gifts, and made him Governor of all the Province of Babylon, and chief over all the wisemen thereof. And moreover at his request made his three Companions Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, principal officers in all that Province. Dan. 2. wh. Chap.

Jehoiakim for three years, viz. the fifth, sixth and seventh of his reign, was Tributary to Nebuchadnezzar, but the King of Egypt (who had set him up) could not bear this, and therefore threatened (as it seems) to restore Jehoahaz his Brother whom he still held prisoner in Egypt. And though Jeremy had Prophesied it should never come to pass, as we find Jer. 22.11. Thus saith the Lord touching Shallum the Son of Josiah King of Judah, which reigned instead of Josiah his Father, and who went forth out of this place, he shall not return hither anymore, but shall die in the place whither they have led him captive, and shall see this land no more); yet the fear of it did much perplex him, so that he was now in a great straight; he was in danger of the Egyptians if he kept faith with the Babylonians, and of the Babylonians if he should revolt again to the Egyptians; at length, namely in the eighth year of his reign, (hearing perhaps of great preparations made by the Egyptians against the Babylonians ) he renounced his subjection to the Babylonians, and sided with the Egyptians again. 2 King. 24.1.

Nebuchadnezzar in the sixth year of his reign seems to have erected that huge golden image in the plains of Dura (a Province of Babylon ) to be worshipped. Daniel 's three companions (that were newly advanced) are accused for not worshipping of it. 'It is like out of envy to them, and to entrap them, some of the Babylonians got the King to erect this idolatrous image. These three worthies being brought before Nebuchadnezzar, make a stout profession of their resolution to own and serve only the true God. Hereupon they are cast into a fiery furnace, but are miraculously preserved and delivered by God. The King seeing the miracle was exceedingly astonished at it, and blessed and praised God. Dan. 3. wh. Ch.

Nebuchadnezzar being detained for three years after Jehoiakim 's revolt by other occasions, at last in the seventh year of his reign, and the eleventh of Jehoiakim 's, with an army consisting of several Nations he invades Judea and besieges Jerusalem, and takes it, and Jehoiakim in it, and being enraged against him for his perfidiousness, he caused him to be bound in chains, intending to carry him captive to Babylon. But Jehoiakim through grief (as 'tis probable) suddenly after dying, he caused his dead body to be dragged out of the Gate of Jerusalem and cast into the fields to be devoured by birds and beasts; so that having no burial he may be said to be buried like an Ass, as Jeremy had before prophesied of him, [Jer. 22.18, 19 & Ch. 36.30.] though he dying of himself and not by violence; he also may be said to have slept with his Fathers, or to have fallen asleep and died as his fathers did. Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and the abominations that he did, viz. his killing of Uriah the Prophet, and his perfidiousness to Nebuchadnezzar, and other evils that were found in him, behold they are written in the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah. 2 King. 24. from 1, to 7. 2 Chron. 36.6.

Nebuchadnezzar carried away at this time three thousand twenty and three Jews prisoners in the latter end of the seventh year of his reign. Jer. 52.28.

JEhoiakin was called Jeconiah , 1 Chron. 3.16. and Coniah by way of contempt, Jer. 22.24. As I live saith the Lord though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim King of Judah were as the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck him thence. This Jehoiakim was eighteen years old when he began to reign, that is when he began to reign alone after his fathers death; for in his fathers life-time (as it seems) he was crowned King ten-years before this when he was but eight years old as we have shown before in the life of Jehoiakim. He reigned only three months and ten days, and did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord as his father had done before him. Against him therefore a dreadful decree went out from the Lord dooming him childless, that is, as some interpret it, that none of his race should succeed him in the Regality to sit on the throne of David, though in a kind of Sovereignty Zerubbabel the son or Grandchild rather of Salathiel by Pedaiah did succeed him. 2 King. 24.8, 9. 2 Chron. 36.9. Jer. 22. from 24, to the end.

'It is not expressed whether Jehoiakim were made King by Nebuchadnezzar when he last took Jerusalem, and bound his Father in chains, or was set up by the people when the Babylonians were marched away from the City. If he were set in the throne by Nebuchadnezzar it may well be (as Josephus thinks) that the King of Babylon shortly after his departure bethinking himself how dangerous it might be to leave the Son in the Throne, whose Father he had lately taken and cast his dead body out unburied, he changed his purpose and presently sent his Captains back with an Army against Jerusalem, to whom himself in person came a while after, and being come again before the City, Jehoiakim and his mother, and his servants and courtiers went out to him (as the Prophet Jeremy advised) and yielded themselves to him. 2 King. 24.10, 11, 12.

Nebuchadnezzar therefore in the eighth year of his reign taking Jehoiakim with his mother, and his wives, and his courtiers, carried them away captive to Babylon; also out of Jerusalem he took the Magistrates, and every man of strength, to the number of ten thousand men, and all the Carpenters and Smiths, leaving none behind but the poorer sort of people. And out of other parts of the land he carried away seven thousand men of able bodies, and of Smiths and Carpenters one thousand, all strong men, and fit for the wars. Among which captives Kish Grandfather to Mordecai of the Tribe of Benjamin was one, [ Esth. 2.5, 6.] and Ezekiel the Priest another, who therefore in his Prophesy reckons the time all along from this captivity, Ezek. 1.2, 3. and calls it his deportation, Ezek. 33.21. and Ch. 40.1. with these captives Nebuchadnezzar now carried away the treasures of the Lord's house , and the treasures of the Kings house, and brake in pieces many of the Golden vessels and furniture which Solomon had made for the Temple of the Lord, as Isaiah had Prophesied, Chap. 39.6. Behold the days come that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left saith the Lord. 2 King. 24. from 13, to 17. 2 Chron. 36.10. Ier. 29.1, 2.

The King of Babylon having thus carried away Jehoiakim, he set up his Uncle Zedekiah in his place, and Iehoiakin after thirty seven years of captivity was highly honored and raised up by Evil-merodach, as we shall see hereafter. 1 King. 24.17. 2 Chron. 36.10.

From this carrying away of Jeconiah, Helvicus begins the Babylonian captivity that was to last seventy years, grounding his opinion on these Scriptures, Ezek. 1.2. In the fifth day of the month (which was the fifth year of King Jehoiakins captivity) Jer. 29.1. now these are the words of the Letter that Jeremiah the Prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the Elders which were carried away captives, and to the Priests and Prophets, and to all the People whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon (after that Jeconiah the King, and the Queen, and the Eunuchs, the Princes of Judah, and the Carpenters and Smiths were departed from Jerusalem) by the hand of Elasah the Son of Shaphan and Gemariah the Son of Hilkiah (whom Zedekiah King of Judah sent unto Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon) saying, For thus saith the Lord, after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon, I will visit you, and perform my good words towards you in causing you to return to this place. And Jer. 24.5. Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel, like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good.

But to go on, whilst Nebuchadnezzar thus prevailed against the Jews, God prepared a worm which should eat into this spreading tree, Psal. 137.8. O daughter of Babylon who art to be destroyed, happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us. For in this year was Cyrus the Perso-median born (whose Father was a Persian, and his mother a Mede ) and he was by the Prophet Isaiah called by his proper name of Cyrus, and styled the deliverer of the Jews so many years before, as we may see Isa. 44.28. Thus saith the Lord thy Redeemer, that saith of Cyrus, he is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure, saying to Jerusalem, thou shalt be built, and to the Temple, thy foundation shall be laid. And Chap. 45.1. Thus saith the Lord to his anointed , to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden to subdue Nations before him; and I will loose the loins of Kings to open before him the two leaved gates, and the gates shall not be shut. And God himself gives the reason of this so unusual a revelation at the fourth verse, For Jacob my servants sake, and Israel mine Elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me .

NEbuchadnezzar (as was shown before) when he carried away Iehoiakin prisoner, made Mattaniah Son of Josiah, and Uncle to Iehoiakin, King in his stead. He is called Brother to Iehoiakin, 2 Chron. 36.10. because he was his Fathers Brother, and so near of kin to him; and he is called his Son, [1 Chron. 3.16.] because he succeeded him in the Kingdom.

Nebuchadnezzar changed his name into Zedekiah, which signifies, the justice of Lord, for having made a Covenant with him, and taken an oath of fidelity from him, by the imposition of this name he purposed to mind him that the just judgment of God would fall upon him in case he did violate his oath. 2 King. 24.17. Jer. 37.1. Ezek. 17.11, 12, 13, 14.

Zedekiah was twenty one years old when he began to reign, and reigned eleven years, and did evil in the sight of the Lord, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah speaking to him from the mouth of the Lord. 2 Chron. 36.11, 12. 2 King. 24. 18, 19.

About the beginning of his reign the people (it seems) began to insult over Jeremiah, and to reproach him because Iehoiakin with many of his subjects were carried away captive, and had yielded themselves to Nebuchadnezzar upon his persuasion. Whereupon the Prophet under the type of good and bad figs foretelleth it should be better with those that were gone into captivity, than with those that were left behind; that the former were as good figs that should be valued, the other as refuse, that should be cast away, intimating that those that went into captivity should be brought back again and established in their own possessessions, and that the Lord would give them an heart to know him, and to turn to him. But as for those that remained in the land, viz. Zedekiah, his Princes and people, he threatens them with exile, ignominy and scorn, and destruction by sword, famine, and pestilence. Jer. 24. wh. Ch.

In the beginning also of Zedekiah 's reign the Prophesy concerning the Elamites or Persians, viz. both of their fall and rising again, was uttered by the Prophet Jeremiah, Ier. 49. from v. 34, to the end. For Nebuchadnezzar had taken from Astyages the whole Province of Elamais, with the City Susa the Metropolis thereof (which was seated upon the river Ulai ) and annexed it to the Empire of the Chaldeans, as we may see from Ier. 25.25. compared with Dan. 8.1, 2. But afterwards those Elamites combining with the Medes against the Babylonians [see Isa. 21.2.] when Belshazzar was destroyed, recovered their State again under Cyrus, and their chief City Susa was made by him the seat of the Persian Empire, as Strabo in his fifteenth Book declareth.

Ambassadors now come (in the first year of Zedekiah, but the fourth after the Sabbatical course, or seventh years rest (Ier. 28.1.) from the several Kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre and Sidon to Jerusalem to visit the new King Zedekiah, and to persuade him to revolt from the King of Babylon; but God appoints Jeremiah to deliver to everyone of them bonds and yokes to be presented to their several Masters, commanding them withal to submit themselves to Nebuchadnezzar, and not to give ear any longer to their wizards and stargazers, their diviners and dreamers who advised them to the contrary, and Prophesied a lie to them in the name of the Lord, though he sent them not. He advises also Zedekiah to be faithful, and to hold himself fast and firm to the King of Babylon, and not to believe false Prophets; and lastly both by threats and promises he persuades all sorts of people to submit unto and obey the King of Babylon. Jer. 27. the whole Chapter.

In the fifth month of the same year Hananiah a false Prophet Prophesieth other manner of things, viz. that the power of the King of Babylon should be broken; and declares that at the end of two years all the vessels and furniture of the Lord's house, and Jeconiah, and all the people that were carried away captive to Babylon, should return and be brought home again. And when Jeremiah gainsaid him, he took a yoke of wood which he had put about his own neck, and brake it, saying, Thus shall the Lord break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar within two years from off the neck of all Nations which he hath brought under his power. Jeremiah says Amen to this Prophesy, wishing from his heart it might prove true; but intimates that he vehemently suspected it of falsehood, and refers it to the event. For he shows that Prophets are to be judged whether they are true or false by the event of their Prophesies. But the word of the Lord coming anew to Jeremiah he declares that God instead of that wooden yoke would put an iron one upon the neck of all those Nations under which they should bow and serve the King of Babylon; and to assure the people that Hananiah had prophesied falsely, and had made them trust in a lie, he foretelleth that he shall die that very year because he had taught rebellion against the Lord, that is, had encouraged the people to rebel against the admonitions given them by his Prophets; and accordingly so it came to pass in the seventh month of that year. Ier. 28. whole Chapter.

Zedekiah now sends Ambassadors to Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon, and by them Jeremiah sent a Letter to the Elders, Priests and Prophets, and the rest of the people, who had been carried away captive, in which he instructs them how to demean themselves in that condition of their captivity, viz. that they should build themselves houses, and plant gardens, and marry wives, and give wives to their sons, that they might increase and multiply there, and advises them that they should seek the peace of the City Babylon, whither they were carried captive, and pray unto the Lord for it, for in the peace thereof they should have peace. Then he comforts them with promises of deliverance at the expiration of seventy years; then the Lord would perform his good word towards them in causing them to return. He foretells them of the grand calamities that would befall Zedekiah, and those Jews that were left behind, and of the miserable end that Ahab and Zedekiah (two false Prophets among them) should come unto; he shows that for their Prophesying lies, and for their adulteries with their neighbors wives, they should fall into the King of Babylon's hands, and he should roast them with fire, and their names and memories should be used afterwards in forms of execration and cursing, viz. people should say when they cursed a man, The Lord make thee like Ahab and Zedekiah, whom the King of Babylon roasted in the fire. Jer. 29. from 1, to 24.

Shemaiah another false Prophet among the captives in Babylon sent a Letter (as it seems) by Zedekiah 's Ambassadors (when they returned) unto Zephaniah, (who was the second chief Priest, 2 King. 25.18.) and the rest of the Priests at Jerusalem, bitterly inveighing against what Jeremiah had written to them. He sets before Zephaniah the duty of his place, which was to punish every man that of his own head made himself a Prophet, but was indeed none, intimating that Jeremiah was such a kind of person: The Lord (says he) hath made thee Priest instead of Jehoiada, &c. that thou shouldst put in prison, and in the stocks every man that is mad [or a Fanatick] and maketh himself a Prophet, &c. He reprehends him for not using Jeremiah after that manner, Why hast thou not reproved Jeremiah (says he) who maketh himself a Prophet to you but is none? He hath written to us to build houses, and plant gardens, and marry wives, intimating that our captivity will be long, and thereby thou mayest see what manner of Prophet he is. Zephaniah reading this Letter to Jeremy, he presently denounced a heavy judgment from the Lord upon Shemaiah, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Behold I will punish Shemaiah and his seed, he shall not have a man to dwell among this people, neither shall he behold the good that I will do for my people, because he hath taught rebellion against the Lord, Jer. 29.32. Whereby the Prophet intimates that neither he nor his posterity should live to see the promised deliverance.

And at this time (as it seems) were given to Jeremy those other notable Prophesies contained in the two next Chapters, which he is commanded to write in a Book that they might remain to support the faith, and keep up the spirits of the Jews in a long captivity: First, He promises the reduction of the Jews into their own Country, but before that they were to endure many calamities from the Babylonians during that day of Jacob's trouble, but they should at last be saved out of it. God promises to break the King of Babylon's yoke from off Jacob's neck, and that these Chaldeans shall no longer serve themselves of him. But that his posterity shall serve the Lord their God, and such of David's lineage as he shall from time to time set over them, but more especially the Messias who should come of David's stock. He promises to correct them in measure, and yet not to leave them altogether unpunished. He promises many great blessings that he would bestow on his Church notwithstanding their great miseries, troubles, breaches, wounds, but that God's wrath shall remain on the wicked.

In the next Chapter is contained the restauration of Israel, and the publication thereof. After Rachel's lamentation for her Sons as lost, followeth God's consolation of her, puting her in hope of their return. Ephraim repenting is to be brought home again; Christ is promised: The Lord will create a new thing in the earth, a woman shall compass a man. And this shall be the Covenant he will make with his people after those days, he will write his law in their hearts, and will be their God; and this Covenant shall be stable, and his Church shall be enlarged.

Jer. 29. from 24, to the end.

Jer. 30. whole Chapter.

Jer. 31. whole Chapter.

God also by his Prophet Jeremy foretells that Babylon, and the land of Chaldea shall be over-run and wasted by the Medes and Persians, and comforts his own people with the sweet promises of their deliverance.

Jer. 50. whole Chapter.

Jer. 51. from 1, to 59.

Zedekiah in the fourth year of his reign, either went himself, (or which is more probable) sent Seraiah a person of great quality about him to Babylon, to whom Jeremy delivered the foresaid Prophesies of the destruction of Babylon written in a Book, to be first read, and then to be thrown into the river Euphrates to signify that Babylon should so sink and not rise again.

Jer. 51. from 59, to the end.

In the beginning of the thirtieth year from that solemn renewing of the Covenant, and restauration of the worship of God, in the eighteenth year of Josiah (which falls in with the fifth of Jehoiakins captivity ) on the fifth day of the fourth Month God vouchsafed the first vision to Ezekiel (one of the captives in Babylon ) by the river Chebar, and from thence he was sent to execute the office and function of a Prophet among the Jews of the Captivity: He began thirty four years after Jeremy, and continued his Prophetick office about two and twenty years, namely to the twenty seventh year of Jehoiakins captivity. Ezek. 29.17.

It seems many at this time both among the Jews at Jerusalem, and among the captives in Babylon murmured and complained against Jeremy as a false Prophet that had misled the people, and betrayed them, and caused them to yield themselves to the King of Babylon, seeing now five years were past, and yet Jerusalem stood still. Jeremy being thus cried down both at home and abroad especially by false Prophets, it pleased the Lord to raise up Ezekiel, and pouring out his spirit upon him, to set him on work to prophesy and foretell the same things in Babylon that Jeremy had done in Judea (though in a more vehement manner) so that Jeremy 's Prophesies were confirmed and justified by Ezekiel 's. The Prophet Ezekiel therefore going to execute his function among the Jews dwelling at Telabib near the river Chebar, when he was come thither he sat him down as a man disheartened for the space of seven days. After which time God again put him in mind of his charge, both with gracious promises if he undertook it, and severe threatenings if he refused; and then confirmed him with a new sign shown unto him, and gave him courage and boldness by his word, and ratified his vocation by a new command.

Ezek. 1. whole Chapter.

Ezek. 2. whole Chapter.

Ezek. 3. whole Chapter.

Ezekiel is now commanded to make a draught of the siege of Jerusalem in a table of Tile or Slate, and to lie along upon one side three hundred and ninety days, typifying thereby God's patience in bearing with the sins and provocations of the Kingdom of Israel 390 years before he destroyed that Kingdom, which was the full time from the revolt of the Ten Tribes to their Captivity. When he had lain 390 days on his left side, he was to turn himself on his right side, and to lie so forty days more, to typisie God's patience in bearing with the sins and provocations of the Kingdom of Judah, from the time that Josiah and his people renewed solemnly their Covenant with the Lord unto the Captivity of Zedekiah, which was just forty years. Then he sets out the grievous famine that should be in the City during the siege, Chap. 4. In the three following Chapters he pursues the same matter, viz. Jerusalem's misery. In the fifth he is commanded to cut off his hair, and to divide it into three parts, by which he was to signify three dreadful judgments that were to be inflicted on Jerusalem by pestilence, sword, and dispersion. In the sixth Chapter first he threatens desolation to the land of Judea, viz. to the Idols, Altars, and people thereof. 2ly, Promises mercy to a few that should repent of their evil ways, and come to a right knowledge of the Lord, from v. 8, to 11. 3ly, He sets forth the grief and vexation the rest should feel from the sore judgments that should come upon them, from 11, to the end. In the seventh Chapter he Prophesies again of the destruction of the Jews and their land, from v. 1, to 16. And of the pitiful lamentation that they shall make that escape, from v. 16, to 20. And of the pollution of the Sanctuary by their enemies, from v. 20, to 23. And of their bondage under the worst of heathens, which is represented by a chain, from v. 23, to the end.

Ezek. 4. whole Chapter.

Ezek. 5. whole Chapter.

Ezek. 6. whole Chapter.

Ezek. 7. whole Chapter.

In the sixth year of Jeconiahs Captivity, the sixth month, the fifth day of the month, Ezekiel was carried in a Vision to Jerusalem, and shown the horrible Idolatry there practiced, and the plagues that were to befall the City for the same. The Vision hath four parts:

1. The Prophet is shewn the abominable Idolatry of the Jews in these notorious instances: 1. Their having the Image of Jealousy, or the Image of Baal among them, which highly provoked God to jealousy. 2. Their Chambers of Imagery, having Idols privately in their Chambers. 3. Their women weeping for Tammuz . 4. Their men worshipping the Sun towards the East.

2ly, He hath a Vision of the judgments that God would execute upon them for their sins. In which Vision he hears God commanding six men who had slaughter-weapons in their hands to destroy all except the secret mourners for those abominations, the Prophet intercedes for them, but the Lord vindicates the equity of his proceedings against them by reason of their sins, Chap. 9.

3ly, In the tenth Chapter Ezekiel hath a Vision first of the burning coals to be scattered over the City: 2ly, Of the Lord's changing his place and leaving them. 3ly, A Vision of the Wheels and Cherubims, representing how things earthly and inferior, as also heavenly and superior are under the disposal of the Divine Providence, Chap. 10. In the 11th. Chapter he hath first a Vision of those who gave ill counsel, and seduced the people, from v. 1, to 4. 2ly, Of the judgments denounced against those evil counsellors and devisers of mischief, from v. 4, to 13. 3ly, He has a Vision of Pelatiah 's death, the Prophet deprecates the Lord's displeasure, and pleads with him to spare the residue of Israel: The Lord tells him that the people of Jerusalem did not look upon their Brethren that were carried into Babylon as the people of God, but challenged the Temple and the land, and all in it to be theirs. But though those captives were insulted over by them, yet God promises to be a sanctuary to them in the Countries whither they were driven, and that he would bring them back to their own land, and that there they should reform, and cast away their detestable things, and he would purify them, and give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them, and take away their stony heart and give them an heart of flesh, and they should walk in his statutes and do them, and they should be his people, and he would be their God.

4ly, He hath a Vision of the removal and departure of God's glory from the City to the mountain, and so exposing them to the fury and spoil of the Babylonians. The Vision vanishing, the Prophet is brought back by the Spirit to his people in Chaldea, and there declares to them all that God had shown him.

Ezekiel

• 8
• 9
• 10
• 11

God now both by Typical signs, as also in plain words foretells Zedekiah 's flight by night, the putting out his eyes, the captivity of himself and his people, and the many miseries they were to suffer before, all which we have set down in the twelfth Chapter. In the beginning of which we have first the Type, viz. Ezekiel's removing his household stuff, and carrying it through the hole of the wall, and bearing it upon his shoulders, from v. 1, to 10. Then we have the application of this Type both to Prince and people, from v. 10. to 15. Moreover he hath a Vision of the sad condition of the people both before and after the captivity of the King, whereupon the Prophet is commanded to eat his bread with quaking, and to drink his water with trembling. Furthermore he confutes those who made an ill construction of his Prophesies, and put off all with this by-word, If his Prophesies be true yet they belong not to our days, but to the days of those that are to be a long while after us; or else said, his vision faileth and cometh to nothing. God tells them he will make that Proverb to cease among them by a sudden and dreadful accomplishment of the Prophesy uttered by his Prophet; and to this matter the seven following Chapters also belong. In Chap. 13. he reproves the false Prophets and Prophetesses, who taking upon them that office were led by their own private spirits, and deceived the people with vain visions, and lying divinations. The false Prophets he reproves for daubing with untemper'd mortar, there being no truth, and so no strength in what they said, from 1, to 17. And the Prophetesses for sowing pillows under the arms of the people, that is, by their lies and flatteries promising them peace, and making nightcoifs or kerchiefs for the head of every stature, that is, suiting their juggling to all sorts both small and great to seduce them. In Chap. 14. upon occasion of certain Elders of Israel coming to inquire of him, he declares how God abhors to be inquired of by them because of their Idolatry, and how he will plague Idolaters and false Prophets except they repent, from 1, to 12. And then shows how irrevocably God had decreed to punish them with famine, noisome beasts, sword and pestilence, and that the Intercessions of the most holy men that ever were, such as were Noah, Daniel and Job, would not be able to help them, they should only deliver their own souls, from 12, to 22. 3ly, He foretelleth that some shall be left, and shall be carried to their Brethren that were in Babylon who were by this time well accommodated and fitted to entertain them, and should be comforted concerning them seeing their repentance. In Chap. 15. under the similitude of an useless and fruitless vine-tree (fit only for the fire ) he sets forth the condition of the inhabitants of Jerusalem that they are fit only for judgment. In Ch. 16. to make Judah know her abominations by the similitude of a new-born and miserably forsaken young daughter, God sets before them their natural state and miserable condition, [from 1, to 6.] and his special love and kindness which he had shown to them in that wretched state [from 6, to 15.] and their ungrateful apostasy from God set out under the type of an whore and whoredom, signifying their Idolatry and heathenish covenants, [from 15, to 35.] Then he adds a commination of heavy judgments for those sins, they being worse than their sisters Sodom and Samaria, [from 35, to 60.] Lastly, after he had thunder'd out judgments against the multitude of wicked ones. He gives some Evangelical promises of mercy and comfort to revive the spirits of the faithful that either now were or hereafter should be among them, from 60. to the end. The 17th. Chapter contains a denunciation of judgments upon Jerusalem and her King for perfidious revolting from the King of Babylon under the parable of two Eagles and a Vine. The Parable is propounded, from 1, to 11. and expounded and applied in a minatory way, from 11, to 22. In the last part of the Chapter there is a promise of Christ and his Kingdom, and the happiness of all sorts of people that shall come under his wing and protection, from 22, to the end. In the 18th. Chap. he reproves the Jews in Babylon, who instead of being humbled for their sins took up an unjust complaint against God, and charged him to deal unjustly with them, alleging that their fathers had sinned, and they, their children, suffered for their sins, making use of that Proverb, The Fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge. This charge God clears himself of, and shows that he is most just both in punishing and rewarding, and that everyone shall bear the punishment of his own sins and not of another's; and that if an unjust man repent of his evil ways he shall find mercy, for God hath no pleasure at all that the wicked should die, [see Chap. 33.11.] and if a man that is esteemed a just man turn from his righteousness, he shall have judgment; wherefore he exhorts all to repent, and so iniquity shall not be their ruin. And to cast away their transgressions, and to make them a new heart, and a new spirit , for God hath no pleasure in the death of him that dies. The 19th. Chap. contains a lamentation for the Princes of Judah, under the Parable of Lions whelps taken in a pit, from 1, to 10. 2ly, A lamentation for Jerusalem under the Parable of a wasted vine.

Ezek. Ch. 12. Ch. 13. Ch. 14. Ch. 15.

Ezek. Ch. 16. Ch. 17. Ch. 18. Ch. 19.

About this time (as it seems) Zedekiah through a vain confidence of help and assistance from the King of Egypt, revolted from Nebuchadnezzar, not regarding the Covenant he had made with him, nor the oath of fealty and fidelity which he had sworn to him. 'It is said, 2 King. 24.20. that through the anger of the Lord against Judah and Jerusalem for their heinous sins, it came to pass that he permitted Zedekiah to rebel against the King of Babylon, intending thereby to cast them out of that good land where he had in an especial manner manifested his presence. The Prophet Ezekiel, Ch. 17. v. 15.16. says of him, He rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar in sending his Ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people: shall he prosper? shall he escape that doth such things? or shall he break the Covenant and be delivered? As I live, saith the Lord God, surely in the place where the King dwelleth that made him King, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he brake, even with him in the midst of Babylon be shall die.

2 Chron. 36.13.

2 King. 24.20.

Ezek. 17. from 11, to 21.

In the seventh year of Jeconiahs captivity, on the tenth day of the fifth month Ezekiel reproved the Elders for their gross hypocrisy, who came again to him, requesting him to ask counsel of the Lord for them, Ezek. Ch. 20. in which Chapter he sets before them a summary of the rebellions of their forefathers in Egypt, in the wilderness, and in Canaan, and shows them how they trod in their fathers steps, for which abominations he severely threatens them. He promises to preserve his Church and his true worship therein notwithstanding, and to gather his people again by the Gospel. He foretells Jerusalem 's destruction under the Type of a forest burnt by fire. Chap. 21. He is commanded to prophesy very sharply against Jerusalem, and to declare to them that God had drawn out his sword against them, therefore he was to sigh with the breaking of his loins, as a sign unto them of their approaching calamity. He foretells that the King of Babel shall consult by divination whether he should first set upon Jerusalem, or the land of the Ammonites, and that he shall first set upon Jerusalem because of their perjury. He prophesies again against the Kingdom of Judah, as also of the coming of the Messiah, and that God will overturn that Kingdom, so that it shall never be restored to its former luster till he comes whose right it is, that is, the Messiah, to whom it belongeth as David's successor according to the flesh. He prophesies also against the Moabites. Chap. 22. He sets down a Catalogue of the sins that reigned in Jerusalem, for which God will burn them as dross in the furnace; and there he sets down the general corruption of Prophets, Priests, Princes, and people, none standing in the gap to divert his wrath. Chap. 23. The Idolatrous defection both of Israel and Judah is set forth under the type of two women notorious for whoredoms, viz. Aholah and Aholibah, the Idolatry of Israel is set forth from v. 1, to the 9. and her overthrow by her lovers the Assyrians, v. 9, 10. The Idolatry of Judah worse than Israel's, is set forth from ver. 11, to 22. who is therefore threatened with ruin by her lovers the Chaldeans, from v. 22, to 36. The Idolatries of them both are repeated, and judgments threatened against them both, from 36, to the end.

Ezek. Ch. 20. Ch. 21. Ch. 22. Ch. 23.

In the ninth year of Zedekiah, Nebuchadnezzar invades Judea again to be revenged on him for his breach of faith. This being a Sabbatical year, the men of Jerusalem hearing that Nebuchadnezzar approached with his army, proclaimed liberty to their servants according to the Law, [ Exod. 21.2. If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve, and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. And Deut. 15.12. And if thy brother an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years, then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee.] Nebuchadnezzar having wasted all the Country, and taken their strong holds, came now before the walls of Jerusalem, on the tenth day of the tenth month, and raised forts round about it. In memorial whereof, a fast was afterwards kept during the Captivity, Zach. 8.19. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth shall be to the house of Judah, joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts, therefore love the truth and peace.

2 King. 25.1, 2.

Jer. 39.1.

Jer. 52.4, 5.

Jer. 34.8, 9, 10.

Ezekiel upon the self-same day the siege was laid to Jerusalem, hath it revealed to him in Babylon, namely in the ninth year of Jeconiah, and the utter destruction of it also represented to him by the type of an hot seething pot, with pieces of flesh and bones in it. And that evening his wife died, for whose death he was charged not to mourn, thereby signifying the grievous calamity of the Jews to be such as might justly drown all private sorrow.

Ezek. 24. whole Chapter.

The siege being now laid to Jerusalem