The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Chronicles — Section 421

the glRdnl!llll of Luther at finding the Bible in the convent at Erfurth. And ought to be 1 2. ..4 n,a.wn for special 1 . w ~ u it generally i11 to all who know its value as a revelation of Divine willdom and love, &11d can appreciate itll power to infiuenoe the beam and live11 of men. ill. Tm: Bnn.11: BEAD. A bletll!ed privilege. 1. MM&y migAI read the Bilxe tolao do not hafle il. A Md deprivation. 'l'bis the cue of the he&then !?9nerally and of num- bel'l! at home. An argament for miasions. 2. Mu.ny haw the Bwle, yet do not f'ffld ii. A grievous llin. This the CRae with thousaads in Christendom to whom God's Word ia a stl'll.Ilge book. An argument for preaching. 3. Mu.ny haw IAe Bible, but cu.nnot read it. A pitiful condition. This the case of those who through defective education or bliadness are unable to read. An argument for Christian philanthropy. 4. Many haw the Bible u.nd read it. A happy experience. This the case of those who have learnt to recognize in the Bible God's Word, and to appreciate its suitability to their soul's needs. An argument for the inspiration of the Scriptures. IV. THE BIBLE OBEYED. An indispensable duty. 1. Obedien0t1 the end u.nd u.im o/ the Bible. The Bible not writt.en for information merely, but for direction also. Designed not simply for the construction of creeds, but likewise for the regulation of conduct (Matt. vi. 24 ; J as. i. 22). 2. Obedience tJia only lwmage acceptu.bl.e to the Bible. To read it, admire its litervy 1-uty, study its theology, extol its excellences, circulate it, are good if these acts are accompanied by obedience, but if not they are compara- tively worthless. 3. O1,w,ience the best toitnus to the Divinity of the Bible. "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God" (John vii. 17). Those who know the Bible best, by giving practical obedience to its precepts are most fully convinced of its heavenly and superuatunu origin. 4. Obedience the ,iecessary meam for obtai,,iing tM bl&;t;ing of the Bible. Not the hearers of the Word, but the doer& thereof, are justified before God (Matt. vii. 21 ; Luke :z:i. 28 ; Rom. ii. 13).-W. Vers. 29-33.--JudaA', last flatwnal cooenu.nt. L THE CIBOUllSTANCES. 1. Th8 time. (1) In the eight.eenth year of Josiah's reign, or in Josiah's twenty-sixth year; not so early as the coven&nt made by Asa in the fifteenth year of his reign (eh. xv. 10), or as that made by Jehoiada in the first year of Joash's reign (eh. :z:xiii. 16), or as that projected by Hezekiah also in the finlt year of bis reign (eh. :z::z:ix. 10). • But better late than never. (2) After the purgation of the land and the house. It is necessary as well as fitting that works of repent.a.nee and reformation should be followed up by resolu- tions aft.er new obedience, that the casting out of false gods should be supplemented by the bringing in of the true God. that " ceasing to do evil" should be accompanied by "learning to do well" (Isa. i. 16, 17). (3) While Josiah was under the devout impres- sions produced by the reading of the book of the Law. Seasons when the heart is affected by a sense of God's nearness or a conviction of its own sinfulness should be improved by drawing closer its relations to God (2 Cor. vii. 11). 2. The place, (1) ~'he city of Jerusalem. which had been swept clean from ite idolatries-an indispensnble preliminary to meeting with God. (2) _The tf:mple on Moriah, where Jehova~ had set hiB Name. They who would have des.hogs with a God of grace must seek him at the times, in the places, and by the ways he himself bas appointed. II. 'l'HE PARTIES. 1. The king. As was most appropriate, Josiah led the way. Though sovereigns have no right under the gospel to enforce religion on their subjects, they may nevertheless, by means of personal example, persuade their subjects to embrace religion. 2. The elder,. 'J'hese were the heads of the houses, and therefore the repro- scnr.atives of the inhabitantt1 both of Judah aud Jerusalem. UnleBB the chiefs lo a state and the fathers in a family precede, it is not likely the inferiors in the former or the children in the latter will follow after in the paths of piety. 3. The priests ancl Levitu. In.stead of" the Levites," 2 Kings (uiii. 2) reads " prophets," which has been explained by supposing that the prophets, among whom probably were Jeremiah, Baruch Zephaniah, and Urijah, belonged to priestly 11.nd Levitical farnilies,or that they were t,;vites whose duty it was to preach and to interpret the Law (eh. :z:vii. 8, 9; cf. Dent. xvii. 18; uxi. 9; :z::z:xiii. 10). Those who ascribe it to an error of the pen are uncertain whether that error should be charged against the Ruthor of the Kings (Keil) or e.gaiust the Chronicler (Bertheau). 4. The people. Great and Hm11ll-the people of clistiuction and the lower clasaes, perhaps also the grown-up persons und the children en. xxxv. 1-27.] THE SECOND BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. 427