because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its people, and because you have humbled yourself before Me and you have torn your clothes and wept before Me, I have heard you,' declares the LORD. Sermons
I. THE GUILTY NEGLIGENCE OF WHICH NATIONS AND MEN ARE CAPABLE. Judah had been concerning itself, had been "careful and troubled" about many things, but it had not thought it worth while to multiply copies of the "Law of the Lord," of its own sacred books; so negligent had it been that when one is accidentally discovered its warnings are read for the first time by its own sovereign in his manhood! Of what great and guilty negligence are we capable! We may be spending our time and strength, we may be exhausting ourselves and endangering our health and life in all kinds of unprofitable occupation, in fruitless labour or in amusement which begins and ends in itself, and all the time may be neglecting that one study or that one habit in the pursuit of which "standeth our eternal life." There are many men in Christian countries who expend their substance upon, and occupy their very life with, horses, or dogs, or guns, who do not afford even a few hours a year to the serious study of the will of God as revealed by his Son and recorded in his Word. The treasure which cannot be estimated in gold or silver lies untouched, as much buried from sight and use as if it had been hidden in some crypt of the temple. It may not be our deeds, but our negligences, that we shall most fear to face in the great day of account. II. THE MELANCHOLY USE WE MAY MAKE OF DIVINE TRUTH. In that book of the Law of the Lord there were instructions and admonitions which, if duly heeded, would have ensured abiding peace and honour to the inhabitants of Judah. These had been waywardly and flagrantly disregarded. And now the time for employing them had well-nigh gone. What was left was the sad opportunity of verifying by bitter experience the truth of its threatenings. This was the alternative now open to Judah. Let us take care lest, by our disregard of the promises, we bring upon ourselves the warnings of the Word of God. "If we will not be ruled by the rudder, we must be ruled by the rock." If we will not take advantage of the beneficent laws and the gracious overtures of God, we must "show forth" the severity of those righteous laws which attach suffering and shame to vanity and guilt. III. THE URGENT NEED OF KEEPING AN OPEN MIND AND A SENSITIVE SPIRIT. We are almost startled when we read of Josiah's vehemence (ver. 19). These solemn threats do not affect us in that degree. But we have to consider that he was hearing them read for the first time; to him they were new and fresh, and therefore striking and forcible. Here lies one of our great perils. Familiarity covers the truth of God with its own veil, so that we do not see what we are looking at. We want to read the words of Jesus Christ, to listen to the story of his great sacrifice, to hearken to his words of gracious invitation, as if we had never met with them before; we want to bring to them all the force of an unclouded intelligence, of an undulled interest. And so with the warnings as well as with the promises of Scripture. IV. THE ATTENTION GOD PAYS TO INDIVIDUAL SOULS. (Vers. 26-28.) Wrath was to be poured out upon Judah, but Josiah was to be treated mercifully because he had acted rightly. Whatever penalties are due to our country, however we may be, as we are, suffering as the members of a guilty race, we may be quite sure that God has regard to the life we are living, to the choice we are making. If our heart is tender, and if our will is obedient and submissive, we also shall find mercy of the Lord. God has his dealings with communities and with Churches; but his most constant relation is with men, with individual souls. "The Lord looketh upon me; ... Christ died for me;" "What wilt thou have me to do?" And according to our individual choice will be our destiny. "Every man must bear his own burden." - C.
Because thine heart was tender. We see that waters of the same colour have not the same nature and effect, for hot waters are of the same colour with plain ordinary waters, yet more effectual; so the words of man coming from a man may seem at first to be the same with others, yet notwithstanding, the words of God coming from the Spirit of God carry a more wonderful excellency in them even to hearts of kings. Therefore Huldah speaks to the king, "Thus saith the Lord," etc. Josiah in uprightness sends to inquire, and the Lord returns him a full and upright answer. Whence we may learn —I. THAT GOD DOTH GRACIOUSLY FIT PROPHETS FOR PERSONS, AND HIS WORD TO A PEOPLE THAT ARE UPRIGHT IN THEIR HEARTS. Where there is a true desire to know the will of God, there God will give men sincere prophets that shall answer them exactly. But those that are false-hearted shall have suitable teachers, who shall instruct them according to their lusts. If they be like Ahab, they shall have four hundred false prophets to teach falsehood to please their lusts (1 Kings 22:6); but if they be Davids they shall have Nathans. If they be Josiahs they shall have Huldahs and Jeremiahs. God commended Josiah because his heart was tender. A tender heart is — 1. Sensitive. 2. Pliable. 3. Yielding. II. THAT IT IS A SUPERNATURAL DISPOSITION OF A TRUE CHILD OF GOD TO HAVE A TENDER, SOFT, AND A MELTING HEART. All by nature have stony hearts in respect of spiritual goodness. Say what you will to a hard heart, it will never yield. A hammer will do no good to a stone. It may break it in pieces, but not draw it to any form. So to a stony heart all the threatenings in the world will do no good. You may break it in pieces but never work upon it. It must be the Almighty power of God. All that are gracious must of necessity have soft hearts. III. THEREFORE I WILL SHOW — 1. How a tender heart is wrought. It is made tender by Him who made it (Ezekiel 11:19). 1. God through the use of means softens it by His Word, in producing apprehension of judgment. 2. It is wrought by an apprehension of tenderness and love in Christ. Many say that an adamant cannot be melted with fire, but by blood. I cannot tell whether this be true or no; but I am sure nothing will melt the hard heart of man but the blood of Christ. 3. When the heart is made tender by the Spirit, many things will work tenderness. (1) (2) (3) (4) 2. How it may be preserved and maintained. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) 8. How it may be discerned from the contrary. By applying of the soul unto objects — (1) (2) (4) 1. What an excellent thing a tender heart is (Isaiah 57:15). 2. It fits a man for the end for which he was created. The service of God. 3. It is fit for any blessedness. It is capable of any beatitude. 4. Consider the wretched state of a heart that is not tender, and will not yield. ( R. Sibbes..) 1. A quick and ready sense and feeling in spiritual things. (1) (2) (3) 2. A pliable disposition to yield to Divine influences. II. DESCRIBE THE WAY IN WHICH SUCH A TEMPER SHOULD EXPRESS ITSELF. 1. In relation to the Word of God. A man of religious tenderness of spirit will — (1) (2) (3) (4) 2. In relation to sin. 3. In relation to providential events. 4. In relation to the honour of God. III. WHAT FOUNDATION IS LAID FOR SUCH A TEMPER IN CHRISTIANITY. 1. The rule of our faith and practice is more complete. 2. The recompenses of the life to come are more fully revealed to us. 3. Richer discoveries of grace are made to us. 4. Ceremonials have given way to substantials of religion. 5. The softening spirit is more plentifully communicated. IV. INFERENCES. 1. Discern the differences between a truly Christian temper and some things mistaken for it. It is not — (1) (2) 2. Let us all seek after and cultivate this tenderness of spirit. 3. If conscious of its possession, take the comfort of it as good evidence of a renewed and Christian state. (J. Evans, D.D.) And thou didst humble thyself I. THE ACCEPTABLE ACT.1. It was a real and personal act. 2. It was voluntary. "Thou didst humble thyself." 3. It was a sincerely devout act. 4. It was a very deep and thorough one. II. REASONS FOR IMITATING IT. 1. A deep sense of sin, its heinousness and the punishment it deserves. 2. Our origin and our end. 3. The sovereign grace which has made us to differ. 4. The greatness of God. 5. The life and death of Christ. III. THE ENCOURAGING RESULTS WHICH FOLLOWED. 1. Humiliation will often avert judgment. 2. It always brings a positive blessing with it. 3. It will improve our spiritual health. 4. It promotes our usefulness. ( C. H. Spurgeon.) I. THAT IT IS A DISPOSITION NOT UNBEFITTING KINGS TO HUMBLE THEMSELVES BEFORE GOD.II. THAT THE ACTIONS OF GRACE ARE REFLECTED ACTIONS. They begin from a man's self, and end in a man's self. Yet we must not exclude the Spirit. For the further expression of this humbling of ourselves before God, we will consider — 1. The kinds and degrees of it.(1) Inward. (a) (b) 2. Some directions how we may humble ourselves,(1) Get poor spirits, that is spirits to see the wants in ourselves and in the creature; the emptiness of all earthly things without God's favour; the insufficiency of ourselves and of the creature at the day of judgment.(2) Let us bring ourselves into the presence of the Great God and consider His attributes, His works of justice abroad in the world, and upon ourselves in particular (Job 42:6; John 1:27; 1 Corinthians 15:9; Matthew 8:8; Genesis 32:10).(3) Let us be content to hear of our sins and baseness by others.(4) Look to the time to come, what we shall be ere long, earth and dust; and at the day of judgment we must be stripped of all.(5) Let us set before us the example of our blessed Saviour.(6) Let us work upon our own souls by reasoning, discoursing, and speaking to our own hearts. 3. The motives to move us to get this humiliation.(1) Consider the promises that are made to this disposition (Isaiah 57:15; James 4:10). As examples we have Peter, David, Manasseh, Josiah. Every branch of humiliation hath a promise. A humble heart is a vessel of all graces. Humility emptieth the heart for God to fill it. God hath but two heavens to dwell in; the heaven of heavens and the heart of a poor humble man. When a man is humbled he is fit for all good. As all the water that is upon the hills runs into the valleys, so all grace goes to the humble.(2) All outward actions benefit other men; but this inward action of humbling a man's self makes the soul itself good.(3) A humble soul is a secure and safe soul. 4. The notes whereby it may be known.(1) Holy humiliation is voluntary.(2) It is ever joined with reformation.(3) Sin must appear bitter to the soul. There is in every renewed soul a secret loathing and hatred of evil, and is expressed — (a) (b) (c) ( R. Sibbes..) I. THAT THE BODY AND SOUL MUST JOIN TOGETHER IN THE ACTION OF HUMILIATION. II. THAT WHEN GOD WILL AFFLICT OR HUMBLE A MAN, IT IS NOT A KINGDOM THAT WILL SAVE HIM. III. THAT TEARS AND MOURNING FOR SIN, WHEN IT COMES FROM INWARD GRIEF, IS A TEMPER WELL BEFITTING ANY MAN. IV. THAT IT CONCERNS MAGISTRATES ABOVE ALL OTHERS, TO TAKE TO HEART ANY DANGER WHATSOEVER THAT IS UPON THEIR PEOPLE. V. THAT IT IS THE DUTY OF EVERY CHRISTIAN TO TAKE TO HEART THE THREATENING OF GOD AGAINST THE PLACE AND PEOPLE WHERE HE DOTH LIVE. VI. THAT GOD TAKES A PARTICULAR NOTICE AND UNDERSTANDS THE PRAYERS WE MAKE UNTO HIM. God hears our prayers, because — 1. He is gracious and merciful. 2. He is our Father. 3. He has promised to do so (Psalm 1:15). 4. They are the motions of His own Spirit (Romans 8:26, 27). 5. They are offered up in the name of a Mediator. 6. They are made according to His will.Conclusion: If we would have God hear us, then — 1. Let us hear God as Josiah did. 2. Our prayers must proceed from a broken heart. 3. We must add to them the wings of love, faith, hope and earnestness, as Josiah did here. 4. Let us have such a resolution and purpose of reformation like Josiah's. ( R. Sibbes..) 5177 robes Josiah and the Newly Found Law The History Books Josiah, a Pattern for the Ignorant. Covenanting Performed in Former Ages with Approbation from Above. Chronicles |
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