The Kings Chronicle in Two Sections, Chapter 8
THE ACTS OF AHAZ. CHAP. VIII.
AHAZ. his contrary walking with GOD; and GODS contrary walking with him; Service to ſtrange gods procures strange puniſhments; It darkens the mind; It hardens and brawnes the heart in evill; It haſtens a mans pace to his utter ruine, and deſtruction: of all this Ahaz is a very great and miſerable example.
AHAZ, Jothams Son, and Grand-child to Ʋzziah, was twenty yeares old when he began to reigne: 1 Chron. 28.ſuch an Idolater as exceeded all his predeceſſors, they walked in the wayes of the Kings of Iſrael; ſo did he, but in this he exceeded, for he offered that moſt unnaturall, cruell and diveliſh oblation (called an abomination which GOD hateth aDeut. 12. 31.) even the Son of his body, for the ſin of his ſoule; he burnt his Children in the fire bver. 3.. Therefore that MUCH, which his Father JOTHAM builded (whereof anon) all thoſe ſtrong places could not ſtrengthen the Sonne: Notwithſtanding his Militia, the King of Syria ſmote him; and the King of Iſrael ſmote him, both with a very great ſlaughter cver. 5.. But the King of Iſrael layed load upon him, the ſmarteſt blowes, for he was a neighbour, and a brother offended cPro. 18. 19.(there the contentions will be bitter and mighty, as here, where they ſlew their bretheren with a rage that reached up to Heaven *Chro. 28 5.) The King of Iſrael ſlew in Judah an hundred Gen. 32. 11.and twenty Thouſand in one day, which were all valiant men d2 Chro. 28. 6., becauſe they had forſaken the LORD GOD of their Fathers. There was the old quarrell, and theſe Kings were the viols, through which the LORD powred downe the wrath, and avenged the quarrell of His broken Covenant eLevit 26. 25.. And marke we there, Prince and people, all forſake GOD: GOD forſakes them, breaks downe the Hedges, takes away His Deſtnce (that is done firſt) after that He takes away peace; then one Enemy comes in, then another, breach upon breach like the Sea; ſmititg upon ſmiting, one blow after another, and full one ſmarter then the other, till all are conſumed, and yet ALL VALIANT MEN.
Amongſt theſe ſlain, was the Kings own Sonne; the Governour of his houſe; and he alſo, that was next to the Kings ver. 7.perſon: The moſt valiant men were ſlain; ſo were they that were neareſt to the King in love and truſt. Beſides all this, ver. 8.Iſrael carried away captives of their Brethren two hundred thouſand women, ſonnes and daughters with much spoyle, and brought it to Samaria. ODED, a good Prophet, ſpeaks to ver. 9.the Hoſt of Samaria very well; bids them remember and conſider on it; That there were with them, even with them, ſinnes against the LORD GOD, for which they muſt looke for a day of reckoning, even they, who would ſhow no pitty to ver. 10.their brethren in the day of their trouble, and treading down. Nay, ſaid the Prophet, the day of reckoning is come, or as good as come, FOR THE FIERCE WRATH OF GOD IS ƲPON YOƲ. Theſe words, with certain others, The heads of the children of Ephraim, prevailed for ver. 11.the ſending-backe Judahs Captives warme-clad, and well arayed ver 12.with their owne ſpoyles: And all the feeble of them ver. 13.they carried upon Aſſes, and brought them to Jericho. A ver. 15.man will remember to ſhow mercy to his Brother, when he well remembers himſelfe, what his own caſe and deſervings are, and what need he may ſtand in of mercy to be ſhowne unto himſelf.
Thus Iſrael relents at the ſtroake he had given Judah, and ſhewes mercy unto him, which, doubtleſſe, moved Ahaz very much to ceaſe from thoughts of revenge. But he bends himſelfe againſt Rezin King of Syria, and that he may be avenged on him, he ſent to Tiglath the King of Aſſiria, ſaying, I am thy Servant (SIR) and more alſo, Thy Sonne, Come-up and SAVE ME out of the hand of the King of Syria. A 2 Kin. 16. 7.ſtrange ſpeech, but not ſo ſtrange from Ahaz, for he will, anon, aſcribe ſalvations to ſtocks and ſtones, much rather might he, he thought, aſcribe ſalvations to a man, Come up and ſave me: So he calls in a forraigne King to his helpe, who knew very well how to make profit by the troubles, that roſe in Paleſtina. But yet Tiglath ſeemes not moved with a complement, Your Servant (SIR) and your Sonne; If Ahaz will have him come to ſave him, he muſt bribe him well to his advantage, and ſo he do's, preſenting him with the ſilver and the gold, taken out of GODS houſe and his owne. Silver and gold is full of Rhetorick can perſwade mightily, and make a man to hearken; ſo it followes, Then Tiglath hearkned unto ver. 8.Ahaz, for he had the treaſures of Jeruſalem in his hand; and, having there with prepared his Army, he invaded the Territory of Damaſcus, wonne that City, carried away captive the people there, and killed Rezin the King thereof, who had ſo ver. 9.ſmitten Judah a little before. Now Ahaz thinkes his Treaſure well beſtowed, for Tiglath had avenged him of his Adverſary: and up Ahaz goes to Damaſcus to meet Tiglath there, and to behold the ruine of that King, and his City, who had ſo diſtreſſed him and all Iudah (See how bloudy an Idolatrous King is) he feeds his eyes with rue-full ſpectacles, thinking now his chiefeſt enemy was taken away, not conſidering, that himſelfe was he. Ahaz being now at Damaſcus, ſaw an Altar ver. 10.there, falls in love with the forme and faſhion of it: (more gaudy then was that of Solomons, made by the patterne ſhewed to Moſes in the Mount) An Idolater ever is better pleaſed with that Altar and Service, which he hath deviſed 1 Kin. 12. 33.of his owne heart, then he is with that, which the wiſdom of GOD hath commanded; So is Ahaz here, as Ieroboam before him, and as all like him, much taken with this Altar and forme of it, ſends a modell of this excellent frame to Ʋriiah the Prieſt, that it may be ſampled in Ieruſalem according to the patterne. The Prieſt was as ready to make it, as the King his Maſter was to worſhip before it: before the King was returned from Damaſcus, the Prieſt had hoiſted up an Altar, according to the patterne, and finiſhed it. An Idolatrous King ſhall not want an Idolatrous Prieſt: Thus did Urijah the Priest, according to all that King Ahaz commanded.2 King. 16. ver. 16.
Then he was an obedient Servant, you will ſay. No; the moſt unfaithfull in all the Kingdome, and the deepeſt in Rebellion there, next to the King his Maſter, who was ſo ſtout againſt the LORD. This Ʋrijah was indeed a ſervant of ſervants, the baſeſt ſervant, and did the baſeſt ſervice, that is imaginable, for he ſerved his Maſters luſts, which warr againſt the ſoule, and ſo did the greateſt diſ-ſervice to his Maſter, that poſſibly could be done. That ſervant, who obeyes his Maſters commands againſt the command of his Maſter in Heaven, (which is to obey the luſts of men) doth his Maſter on Earth the greateſt diſ-ſervice that can be, for he helpes on his Maſters Rebellion againſt GOD, and haſtens on his Maſters ruine, and with him the ruine of all the people, committed to his Maſters charge. Accurſed be ſuch unfaithfull ſervants evermore, that are ſo plyable to their Lords will, againſt the will and command of their MASTER in Heaven; Ʋrijah did as King Ahaz commanded. Oh well had it been with the King, if the Prieſt had diſobeyed his Maſter at that point, for then he had done as GOD had commanded; but the Prieſt did as the King commanded, made an Altar according to the patterne, ſent from Damaſcus, reared up this ſtrange pile, then thruſt it up between GODS Altar and the Temple, gives it an apparent precedency, ſaying, in his heart, Let the GOD of JUDAH come behind the gods of Syria; Then this Idolatrous King layes downe his Scepter, and takes up the Cenſer, and ſacrificeth on his new Altar to his new gods, the gods of Damaſcus. Why will he doe ſo? He gives us his reaſon for that, Becauſe the gods of the Kings of Syria helpe them. See 2 Chro. 28. 23.I pray you, the King ſpeakes as a man quite forſaken of his wits! His abominable Idolatries have taken away his underſtanding and his ſenſe too, HELPE THEM, ſaid he I Did the gods of the Kings of Syria helpe them? His eyes told him, if he could have ſeen, that they were the ruine of Damaſcus, and of the King there; yet, ſaith he, I will ſacrifice to the gods of Damaſcus, that they may helpe me. Now we muſt enquire what need he ſtood in of help; and how theſe new gods helped him.
But firſt we may obſerve, That the faſhion and manner of worſhip, which GOD preſcribed Ahaz, do's not pleaſe him; he will have a way of his owne, ſomething like to that GOD commanded: So he faſhioned an Altar, and paterned it. Mark we now, how GOD paternes him in judgement; a very like ruine ſhall now befall him, as had befallen Damaſcus, whence he tooke his patterne; and ſo we ſhall ſee what need he ſtands in of help. Ahaz brought new gods with him to Ieruſalem: What follows? Warre was in his gates. He was diſtreſſed on every ſide, the LORD, againſt Whom he rebelled mightily, powred down wrath upon him, through this violl, and through that, both on the right-hand, and on the left. As Iſrael and Aram vexed him on the North; So the Edomites and the Philiſtins, ever more attending the ruine of Iudea, entred upon 2 Chro. 28. 17, 18.his Country from the South, ſmit Iudah, carried away captives, invaded their Cities, and dwelt there: To whom then ſhould Ahaz have looked in the day of ſuch diſtreſſe, when viols of wrath were emptied upon him from every quarter? That is eaſie anſwered; To the GOD of Salvations, yea unto the GOD of deſolations alſo, for thoſe He makes in the Earth cPſal 46. 8., men are but His viols, but rods and ſwords, and battle Axes in His hand dEſa. 10. 5.: Surely ſaith the LORD Himſelfe eZeph. 3. 7.(therfore we will hearken) Thou wilt heare me now, now Thou wilt receive inſtructions. Why now? Becauſe now He hath cutoff Nations; Their Towers are deſolate, their Streets waſte, their Cities deſtroyed, their Kings ſlaine, now Thou wilt feare me, now Thou wilt receive inſtruction; ſurely it is meet to be ſaid unto GOD, I have borne chaſtiſement, and I will not offend any more fJob 34. 31, 32; That which I ſee not, teach thou me; If I have done iniquity, I will doe no more. Surely now in diſtreſſe, Ahaz will ſay, (for it is the voyce of Nature) O GOD helpe me. Should not a people ſeeke unto their GOD? Ahaz do's not ſo; he will purchaſe the helpe of Tiglath King of Syria againe with the ſacrilegious pillage of the houſe of 2 Kin. 16. 17, 18GOD. Tiglath had helped Ahaz (for ſo the Scriptures are reconciled) in his firſt on-ſet; he had ſmote Damaſcus, and ſlaine Rezin the King there; and ſo had ſerved Ahaz his turne for that preſent, and ſatisfied his thirſt of Revenge. Now Tiglath will ſerve his owne turne, he will not returne back againe, but followes his victory to ſatisfie his owne thirſt of enlarging his Dominions; he poſſeſſeth himſelfe of all Baſan, and all the reſt beyond Iordan, which belonged to the Tribes of Reuben, Gad and Manaſſeh; and then, paſſing the River, he invades the Kingdome of Iſrael, makes them his vaſſals: And now he is within Iudah, and poſſeſſed of a great part there. So Tiglath came to Ahaz indeed (invited with treaſures and a faire proſpect of all Canaan beſides) He came unto him, ſayes the Text: And what good did he doe him? None at all, but hurt rather, and DISTRESSED HIM, but 2 Chron. 28. 20STRENGTHENED HIM NOT.
Now Ahaz is in diſtreſſe, what will he doe now? he ſees that man is a vaine thing, there is no truſting him; he hoped he would helpe him, and he hath diſtreſſed him. What do's he now? Worſe and worſe, In the time of his diſtreſſe he did treſpaſſe yet more againſt the LORD. He was made moſt miſerable, and yet he remained moſt wicked, he loſt the fruit of all his ſore afflictions. Though he was invironed, though his way was hedged Aug. de l. 1. c. 33 Vos ne que contriti ab hoſte, &c. perdidiſt is utilitatem calamitatis & miſerrimi facti eſt is & peſſimi permanſiſt is.with thornes round about, yet, like a wild Aſſe uſed to the wilderneſſe, he brake looſe and traverſed his way; even in his month they could not find him eJer. 2. 24.; Though he was faſt cooped up in GODS fetters, as with the northerne iron and braſſe, yet he thought to eſcape by his owne wiſdome g2 Chro. 28. 21.; Aſhur would ſave him, he thought he could ride upon horſes hHoſ. 19. 3., therefore his perſecutours were ſwift. Certainly (for the ſacred Scriptures ſet acertaine note upon him) never was any King more madde upon his Idols, nor did any King before him, blunder on ſo againſt the Angell, and upon the drawne Sword, as he did; ſo went looking forward and backward, on this ſide, and on that, but the Angell croſſed him every way, and yet he went on.
This was King Ahaz. But, whether went he? For the living to the dead: Ahaz had ſaid before to the King of Syria, Come up and Eſa. 8. 19.SAƲE ME. Now he ſaith as much to ſtocks and ſtones, Ariſe and HELPE ME; He ſacrificed to the gods of Damaſcus (which ſmote him) and he ſaid, THEY MAY HELPE ME. Did they helpe him? Yes, after their manner, as ſuch gods uſe to doe; they helped-on an utter deſolation; they helped to bring Judah low, to make the Land 2 Chro. 28. 19.and her King NAKED. And then having expoſed Ahaz and his Land, as a naked man, to the rage and fury of Adverſaries, they were the Ruine of him, and of all Iſrael. Some things muſt be obſerved from this Story of Ahaz by way of Caution firſt; and then for Inſtruction, here is a great deale; for Caution firſt;
1. Be well aware, whether high or low, great or ſmall, be we aware, That we ſet not our foot in an Idolatrous way; if we doe, likely it is we will walke therein, ſtand in it, and then ſit downe there; having made an entrance, we cannot tell where we ſhall ſtay. It were worth the noting, if here were time and place to ſet it downe, the pedegree of Idols, and then the riſe of Idolatrous ſervices. In one word, the Idolater began with the offering a graine of incenſe at the firſt. What Error minimus in principio fit maximus in fine Nat. Con.did he offer at the laſt? The ſonne of his body, for the ſinne of his ſoule. Ahaz himſelfe is a great example of all this; Hee walked in the wayes of the Kings of Iſrael: he made alſo molten Images 2 Chro. 28. 2.for Baalim: Moreover he burnt Incenſe in the valley. The ver. 3.Calves of Jeroboam drew him on to the gods of the Heathen, and now Bulls and Goates are too little for his new gods, his owne fleſh and blood is but deare enough! He that burnt Incenſe but now, now burnes his Children in the fire. When a man has ver. 3.ſet footing in an ill way, he knowes not where he ſhall ſtop. And,
2. Beware we ſet not up an Altar, which GOD commands not, though it be but one, and we can make it a gaudy one, and patterne it, as neare as can be to GODS Altar; yet beware of this one, for this one will draw on a ſecond, and a ſecond a third. Ahaz is a great example here alſo; he ſet up an Altar in the holy place; Did he ceaſe there? No; Now he gathers all his precious things together, and all to make and adorne his Altars; he made him Altars in every corner of Jeruſalem; nor ver. 24.there only, but in every ſeverall City of Judah; he made high places to burn Incenſe unto other gods, and provoked to anger the LORD ver. 25.GOD of his Fathers. And,
3. Beware we ſhut not up the eye, againſt the light. Of all the Creatures GOD has created, it is not ſafe to play with the light. I have read of one, who would not be beholding to the Sunne, for it's light to walke, or to worke by; he would cloſe up his eyes and put a cover over. At length he be thought himſelfe, and was content to ſee the light, and to take benefit from it; but he had covered his eyes ſo long, that, taking off the cover, he found his eye in the ſame place, but the ſight was gone: He had dallied with light too long. It is excellent which Auguſtine ſaith; what good doſt thou to the fountaine, Aug. 10. 5.when thou drinkeſt of it? Thou art refreſhed from it, and that is thy benefit: So alſo, from the fountaine of light, thou ſeeſt by it, thou maiſt walke and worke by it, and that is thy benefit: Be not proud then, doe not ſhut thine eye againſt the light; though it be but the light of nature, yet let it in, and make we much of it, then GOD will entruſt us with a greater light; He that is faithfull in a little ſhall be Ruler over much; but he that improveth not his little, ſhall have that taken from him, which he hath neglected, or not improved to his owne good, and the glory of the giver. Ahaz is a great example of this alſo; he playd with light, he thruſt it from him; he would not take the benefit of that common light, which, as a common dole, the LORD gives out to every man. He put confidence in man, Come, ſaid he, and ſave me; then in ſtocks and ſtones, abominable Idols, ſaying, theſe may helpe me; he truſted in them. How then? Then he had eyes and ſaw not; an heart but underſtood not; as a ſilly Dove without an heart, he was as ſenſleſſe as the ſtocks he truſted in; They that make them are like unto them: So is every one that truſteth in them. Pſa. 135. 18.Then, from that time, he ſought helpe from thoſe deſpicable things, to the day of his death, he walked in the world, as a man in a Dungeon, groping his way, as in the thickeſt darkneſſe. So much in way of Caution; now wee muſt receive Counſell hence, and ſound Inſtruction. Firſt, That;
Strange gods will blind a King ſtrangely; they will degrade 1.a man, they take away his Excellency and Crowne, his underſtanding, judgement, reaſon, nay his ſenſe alſo, and leave him in the darke: So as he ſhall blunder on in the face of the Angell, and his drawne Sword, to his owne deſtruction, and to the ruine of his Kingdome. And ſecondly, That
Idolatry, which is an humbling a mans ſelfe before dumb 2.Idols, is a ſore tranſgreſſion againſt the LORD, and brings ſore judgements upon a Land, puts it into a forlorne and helpeleſſe condition; from out of the KINGS protection, ſo as no perſon nor thing can be a cover unto it, whereby to hide it's filthy nakedneſſe; It brings a Nation low, and makes a people naked. And thirdly; That,
The whole Hoſt of Heaven and Earth will be our Enemies, till we make GOD our friend. The King of Iſrael 3.ſaid well; if the LORD doe not helpe, neither perſon, nor any thing can doe us any good. And GOD never 2 Kin. 6. 27.helpes them, who expect helpe from perſons and things, which GOD hath curſed. And fourthly, That,
Wherin we put confidence, whether perſon or thing, will do us all the miſchiefe, and ſo avenge the quarrell of GODS 4.Covenant. It was ſo here; Tiglath, from whom Ahaz expected ſalvation, diſtreſſed him: Iſrael was a ſcourage to Judah; Aſſiria a Scorpion to Iſrael and Judah both: but the gods of Damaſcus, which he thought would helpe him, were the ruine of him, and of all Iudah.
5. A heart hardned in ſinne, eſpecially brawned in the ſinne of Idolatry, is ſeldome wrought upon, either by mercies or 5.miſeries; though the mercies be exceeding abundant and ſweet, and the miſeries exceeding bitter and ſharpe. Ahaz was wooed, allured and tryed both wayes, yet he continued as hard as a Rock, This is King Ahaz. In the time of his diſtreſſe, in that conſidering time, he conſidered not, but blundred on, and treſpaſſed yet more againſt the LORD. Therefore there is a marke ſet upon him, This is that King Ahaz, for he ſacrificed unto the gods of Damaſcus, he turned himſelf to them; from the living GOD to ſtockes and ſtones, which ſmote him, yet he ſaid, they may helpe me; This is that King Ahaz; we learne alſo hence.
6. That ſtripes and ſore ſtroakes will not make a foole wiſe. No, though thou ſhouldeſt bray him in a morter among wheate with a peſtle, yet will not his fooliſhneſſe depart from him. Pro 27. 22.Afflictions, tribulations may breake the bones, and the ſpirits, and the heart too with worldly ſorrow; but the ſtroakes muſt be ſanctified, elſe they will not ſupple this rocky thing; they will not breake the heart with a godly ſorrow. Ahaz had blowes enough; becauſe of his tranſgreſſion, The Lord delivered him into the hand of the King of Syria, and they ſmote him; and into the hand of the King of Iſrael, and he ſmote him with a great ſlaughter; The Edomites, they ſmote him, ſo did the Philiſtines; he was ſmitten before and behind, and on every ſide; he had blowes enough, but they did him no good; his heart was gone after his Idolls, and joyned to them, then nothing can do him any good, for he, that is joyned to Idols, is departed from GOD. We learne alſo hence, That
8. A man can harden his own heart, and does ſo daily; he can lye in the grave of ſinne, and roule a ſtone over that grave; that he can doe, he can encreaſe the rockineſſe of his heart; he cannot ſoften it, doe he what he can. And that he muſt doe, he muſt uſe the meanes for the ſoftening of the heart, which GOD affords unto him. But all is made effectually by the good Hand of GOD unto him, Who ſpeakes and drawes too, for He ſpeakes with a ſtrong hand. The concluſion is; man is as dead as a doore naile to his own converſion; he can no more raiſe himſelfe from the death of ſinne, then a dead man can raiſe himſelfe from the grave of his corruption; But GODS voice he can heare; for that is a creating voice, that called Lazarus out of the grave; and that voice he can heare. Wee muſt take one note more from the Retaliation of the LORD, for that is remarkeable in the powring out of wrath upon Ahaz.
9. Ahaz ſacrificed his Childeren to Molech in the fire, ſo he 2 Chron 28. 30.tooke the Children, whom GOD had given him, and offers them up to that abomination. The LORD will be avenged on him for that; He will give-up one of his Sonnes, the ſtouteſt of them, and with him, his chiefe ſervant and favourite alſo, unto the Sword of his enemy; And Zichri a mighty man of Ephraim ſlew MAASEJAH the Kings Son; And AZRIKAM 2 Cro. 18. 7.the governour of the houſe, and ELKANAH that was next to the King. Ahaz ſaid to a man, come and ſave me. That Man came for his owne advantage, diſtreſſed him, but ſtrengthened him not. He ſought helpe from the gods of Damaſcus: Theſe ſmote him, ſtrooke out his eye, and tooke away his heart, were the ruine of him and of all Iſrael. So ends the Story of his life; A diſhonour followes him to the grave; how little the people regarded him appeares at his death; Ahaz ſlept with his Fathers, but not in the ſame roome with them; he was too bad a Sonne to reſt at night where his good Father lay a ſleepe: he had brought Judah low; he had made Judah naked; he had tranſgreſſed ſore againſt the LORD; Therefore they denied him roome in the Sepulchers of the Kings; They buried him in the City, even in Jeruſalem, but they brought him not into the Sepulchers of the Kings of Iſrael, and Hezekiah his Son reigned in his ſtead.
We ſhall reade much of his Goodneſſe, in his place, the ver. 27.next Section, there alſo of Manaſſeh a great ſinner, but greatly humbled: he began very ill, but ended wondrouſly well: he obtained mercy, that in him the Lord CHRIST (for He was the ſame yeſterday) might ſhew forth, as to his ſervant Paul, all long-ſuffering for a patterne to them, who ſhould hereafter repent, and beleeve on Him to life everlaſting: But of him, after his Father and his Goodneſſe. Amon followes here; after 1 Tim. 1. 16.him, excellent Ioſiah, in his place; Then a continued ſucceſſion of wicked Kings, and a miſerable deſtruction: For Judah halfe had changed her God, and ſhe hath a change of Kings, one quickly after another; quickly-up, and as quickly-downe, till they and their Kingdome fell to peeces. The ſupporter of the Throne was gone; and they had ſo heated their ſeate with their abominable Idolatries, that quickly after they were ſate downe in it, they were conſumed with the heate of Gods diſpleaſure.
That I may conclude this ſection with the more profit, we will looke back as farre as to King Solomon, thence recollect the Story, that we may take a ſhort view of the wayes of Iſrael, and thereby amend our owne.
Thus it was. King Solomon in his declining yeares, declined the true worſhip of God: Rehoboam followes-on in the laſt wayes of Solomon, like his Father in every thing, except the beſt things, his Wiſedome and Repentance; For he doted upon Idolls, joyned himſelfe to them, and ſo rent from himſelfe the greateſt halfe of his Kingdome. Abijah his Son was wiſer, not much better. Aſa ſets all to rights againe, and has a good Jehoſhaphat: He has a bad Jehoram, he walked in the wayes of Ahab, for he had taken the Daughter of Ahab to wife, a wicked woman, ſhe poiſoned her Husbands poſterity; their wickedneſſe is propagated to their Son, and their Sons Son. Unthankfull Joaſh (we need ſay no more) has almoſt as bad an Amaziah, and he an Ʋzziah. Then there is a good deſcent in Jotham, and that is from above; Goodneſſe is not propagated, wickedneſſe is, for Jotham has an Ahaz: there we are, but I goe on; Then there is a deſcent from Heaven againe; Ahaz hath an Hezekiah. Then there is a naturall deſcent againe, Hezekiah hath a Manaſſeh; And the naturall deſcent goes-on, for Manaſſeh hath an Amon, (he continues the Story:) Then the deſcent from Heaven, for Amon hath a Joſiah. And after him the naturall deſcent holds till all was broken to peeces. Thus in the Throne of Judah, there was a ſucceſſion and interchange of Good and evill: Evill Princes ſucceed to good, for the exerciſe of the Church: And good ſucceed to evill, for her comfort. And thus the Wiſe GOD orders it, that the Church may not looke for her Heaven here; but in the World affliction. Here the Church is afflicted and toſſed with tempeſts, and ſo ſhe is ſpoken Eſa. 54. 11.unto and comforted, with an expectation of an interrupted peace, for a time, even here below: but of reſt for ever in Heaven. We went purpoſely back to take a view of Judah's wayes, and the riſe of her Idolatries; and in ſhort thus we reade; Theſe abhominable ſervices were firſt countenanced in Judah; then practiſed by Judah; after that forced upon Judah, then tooke faſt rooting there. We ſhall now reade-on, and this concluſion quickly cleered unto us; That where Idolatry is rooted-into a Kingdome, it will not be rooted-out till that Kingdome be rooted out: ſo it followes.