Alogi denied Christ to be the Word condemned John's Gospel and said that Cerinthus the Heretick wrote the Revelations Theodotus a Montanist through Sorcery took his flight towards Heaven but down he fell and died miserably Adamites devised a Church after the fashion of an hot-house to keep them from cold for the space of an hour or Service time they were all naked men and women Virgins preached unto the rest their Church they called Paradise and themselves Adam and Eve (a) Euseb Eccl. Hist l. 5. c. 14 19. Florinus and Blastus fell from the Church and taught at Rome that God was the Author of evil whom Irenaeus confuted (b) L. 5. c. 28. Theodotus a Tanner denied the Divinity of Christ he was the first Author of the Heresy of Artemon for which cause Viator Bishop of Rome excommunicated him Artemon his disciple accounted Christ but a bare and naked man He lived in the time of Victor and Zephyrinus His companions were Asclepiodorus and Natalius who repented and fell at the feet of Zephyrinus Bishop of Rome for absolution (c) Lib. 6. c. 12. Marcianus the Heretick maintained an heterodox opinion out of the pretended Gospel of Peter whom Serapion Bishop of Antioch confuted (d) Epiphan haeres 57. Noetus denied there were three Persons saying All three were one He called himself Moses and said Aaron was his brother He said the Father Son and Holy Ghost suffered in the flesh CHAP. V. From the death of Pertinax and the exposing of the Empire to sale to the death of Maximinus the first elected Emperour without consent of the Senate the space of 45 years 1. THE Soldiers having murdered Pertinax got them to their Camp Herodian l. 2. and set the Empire to sale proclaming that they would prefer him that should offer most Two there were found who bade money for it first Sulpicianus a man of Consular dignity Governour of the City and Father in Law to Pertinax and Didius Julianus of the same degree a great Lawyer and exceeding rich The Soldiers being jealous lest the former should have an intention to punish them for the murther of Pertinax accepted the offer of Julianus who promised what they would ask having as he said treasures of Silver and Gold Didius Julianus purchaseth the Empire Being by a ladder received up to the wall and so into the Camp he promised to restore the honours and statues of Commodus to grant them what liberty they enjoyed under that Prince and to give them more than they cold ask or expect he was caried into the Palace the people by the way cursing and upbraiding him with his purchase Having thus invaded the Empire he gave himself up to all Luxury but being unable to perform his promise to the Soldiers lost their favour and fell into the contempt of all men the people desiring another Prince At this time Pescenninus Niger was Governour of Syria who as well for the greatnesse of his place his Province containing all from Phoenicia unto Euphrates as for his popularity was most eminent him did the People extol and they implored his assistance He being glad of this opportunity easily perswaded his Soldiers to accept of him for their Emperour and entertained Ambassadors which now had recourse to him as the lawful Prince But then giving himself up to idlenesse he neglected to setle and confirm his estate by going to Rome and what was more by drawing the Army in Illyricum to his side and so lost all 2. At this time governed both the Pannoniaes L. Septimius Severus an African born a man forward and crafty who seeing the Roman Empire thus obnoxious to every man's catch resolved to venture for it amongst the rest especially in regard that of those two who had seized on it the one was negligent and secure the other hated and despised Being also incouraged by some dreams he first of all inveighed against the Praetorian bands which had killed Pertinax whom knowing to be much beloved by his Soldiers he highly extolled him and easily perswaded them to revenge his death who once was Lieutenant of the forces in Illyricum Then presently though he pretended he sought it not was he saluted Emperour and took upon him the name of Pertinax which he knew was acceptable to all After this he marched with great speed to Rome the Italians who ever since the dayes of Augustus had not been used to War receiving him in all places and Julianus his Soldiers very slowly providing for resistance though he had now distributed to them all the money he could by any means compasse Severus conveyed his Soldiers in a disguised manner into the City which was full of them privily armed ere Julianus or the People were aware whereupon Julianus wrote to him to signifie he was willing to receive him into participation of the Empire and afterwards desired he might resign it For the Senate seeing him so timorous and the other now at hand being called together according to the antient custome by the Consuls decreed death to him and the Empire to Severus Julianus held the dignity seven moneths having purchased death at an excessive rate Severus obtaineth it 3. Severius having thus obtained the Empire that he might not at first crack his credit by falsifying his word got those Soldiers into his power that had slain Pertinax making them be stripped of their Military Cloaths banished them 100 miles from the Citie Then entring the Court Olymp. 243. ann 1. V.C. 946. A. D. 193. he promised great things to the Senate professing his intention was to govern after the prescript of Marcus and not onely to take the name but also disposition of Pertinax although there were some who so well knew him that they could not be deceived After this he prepared for an expedition against Niger but fearing to leave an Aemulator at his back he endeavoured to prevent him This was Clodius Albinus who at this time governed Britain was of Patrician rank and had a strong Army at his Command He flattered him with the title of Caesar beseeching him as the fittest person to take care of the Empire for that he himself grew old and his Children were Infants Albinus overjoyed that he should obtain what he had desired without any trouble fooled himself in his vain confidence especially for that Severus had written to the Senate in the same strain had ordered money to be stamped vvith his Image erected him some Statues and did him honour othervvise to deceive him 4. Niger much troubled at his coming towards him Lege Herodian lib. 3. Eutrop. lib. 9. Aurelium Victorem Xiphil ex Dione Orosium lib. 7. cap. 17. took care for securing the passages into Asia gathered together all the forces in those parts obtained aid from the Parthian and Atrenian Kings seized on Byzantium and fortified the straights of the Mountain Taurus Severus therefore directed not his course towards Byzantium but marched for Cyzicus where Aemilianus
intervening matters impertinent to his present purpose read the History of any Empire or Kingdom Contemporary to it by it self so he may likewise observe that the principal passages in all of them are linck'd together by Synchronisms not onely placed in the Margent but in the beginning or end of every notable Occurrence Thus I have briefly and with much sincerity couch'd together some of those Excellencies which amongst many others I have observed in this Institution of History of which if I may presume to give my private opinion though I am conscious to my self how little it ought to signifie to the World I think the work taken all together is for the order of it handsomly and judiciously contrived for its style perspicuous and for the learning in the several parts of History Antiquity and Chronology uncommon Those who desire a greater politenesse in the style may consider that the florid way of writing which hath undeservedly acquired so great a name to some of our own Age and Nation is nothing proper to an Historian and that our Author busied himself in matters more serious and of greater use he chose rather the plain but comely strength of the Dorique Pillar than the Effeminate though curious shape of the Corinthian For my own part I confesse that plainnesse and unaffected simplicity is pleasing to me and I think no Intelligent Person that goes upon businesse will leap Hedges out of the open and direct Road to Travel over Flowry Fields or painted Meadows AN INSTITUTION OF Generall History The First Part. BOOK I. CHAP. I. From the beginning of the world to the beginning of the first Empire 1. IN (a) Gen. 1.1 the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth By (b) Heb. 1.3 Faith we understand that they were framed by his Word so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear Man created 2. Mans habitation being made and conveniently furnished the sixth day Gen. 1. c. then and not till then was he made of the dust of the Earth and God breathing into his nosthrils the breath of life he became a living Soul Being placed in the Garden of Eden and a meet help wanting to him Eve was framed of one of his ribs Of all the Trees of the Garden except that of the knowledge of Good and Evil they might safely eate and at such time as they should eat it they were surely to dye But the Serpent beguiled the woman Falleth who did eat thereof and giving to her Husband he also did eat Hereby they rendred themselves guilty of temporall and eternall death they were condemned to labour and sorrow and those not confined to their own persons but extended to their whole posterity involved with them in the same guilt the demonstrating whereof might seem the Scope of this present Work nothing having succeeded but vanity and vexation of spirit nothing but labour and travail under the Sun Expelled Paradise 3. Adam being expelled Paradise to till the ground begat of Eve his wife Cain and Abel though in what years is not expressed Abel was a Keeper of Sheep and Cain a Tiller of the Ground By Faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain by which he obtained witnesse that he was righteous and contracted such envy that his Brother slew him in the field Cain killeth Abel The voice of his blood cryed to God from the ground and drew down this punishment upon Cain besides that of the ground formerly laid upon his Father to be a Fugitive and Vagabond in the Earth Then departed he from the presence of the Lord and went into the Land of Nod where he built a City and called it Enoch after the name of his Son His Family was propagated to Lamech the fifth in descent from himselfe by whom the Jews * Vide Mererum in Gen. 1. Pererium have thought him to have been slain by reason of Lamech's words to his two wives that he had slain a man to his wounding and a young man to his hurt if Cain should be avenged seven fold then Lamech Seventy and seven fold Seth's birth After the death of Abel Adam begat Seth in the hundred and thirtieth year of his Age as Moses (c) Gen. 3. maketh expresse mention neglecting the account of time in the Family of Cain because his wicked race perished in the Flood the Church of God being to be continued in the posterity of Seth of whom also as to the flesh his Son himselfe was to proceed And posterity 4. In the race of (d) Gen. 1. Seth is laid down the account of years from the Creation to the Deluge For Seth being born when Adam was 130 years old begat * Here the word begat is to be understood in the same sense as the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Latin gignere which are applied to Mother as well as to Father and betoken birth rather than conception The Latin word genitus and natus signifie the same thing Tune ille Aeneas quem Dardanio Anchisae Alma Venus Phrygiae genuit Simoentis ad undas Vide Gen. 40.20 Mat. 11.1 Luc. 1.47 1 Pet. 2.2 Vide Plin. lib. 7. cap. 8. Enos at the age of 105 Enos being 90 begat Caixan and Cainan when he was 70 begat Mehalelec From the birth of Mehalelec to that of his son Jared passed 65 from Jared's to Henoch's 162. and thence to that of Methusalah 65. Methusalah when he begat Lamech was aged 187 years Lamech when he begat Noah was 182 and Noah at the time of the Flood had lived 600 years all which amount to the summe of 1656 each year of the Father's age being supposed compleat at the birth of his Son All these by divine providence for the propagation of Mankind obtained a very long time upon the Earth Though Enoch had the shortest yet he never died being taken up by God after he had walked with him 365 years Methusalah his son of all others arrived at the greatest age being 969 when he died Yet in a certain sense Adam lived longer than he for being created in his perfect strength and fit for generation he had the advantage of 60 years before which age we read none of them to have had any children Nature then requiring a longer time for maturity If 60 now be added to 930 years which he lived the number exceeds that of Methusala's age by 21. Seeing the World required it it cannot but be presumed that each of these begat other children and some of them before these here mentioned But such being but collaterall to that line Gen 5. A. M. 1656. which was to be brought down to Noah who was to continue the generation of Mankind and to re-people the Earth Moses upon that account had no occasion to make mention of them Man's wickednesse causeth a Deluge 5. In the 480
the Mountain Paropamisas at a vast distance from the Ocean Their seat Great Bochartus therefore placeth them in the Mediterranean parts of Arabia the happy the inhabitants whereof if they may be heard challenge Joctan for the founder of both the Arabian Nation and Language calling him otherwise Cahtan Almodad 1. From Almodad then descended the Almodaeans by the Greeks called Allumaeotae whom Ptolomie placeth in the middle of Arabia near the head of the River Lar which emptieth it selfe into the Persian Sea Sheleph 2. From Saleph the Salapeni who lived more remote upon the borders of Arabia Desert not far from the spring of the River Betius Hatsarmaueth 3. From Hatsarmaueth which word is variously written and by the Arabians called Hadramauth or Chadramauth were named the regions Adramyta Chatramis Chatramitis and the Inhabitants Athramotitae Chatramotitae Chatramotae Aâ—ramitâ—ae and Adramitae whose Metropolis was antiently called Sabota Sabbatae Saubata at this day Sebam From Jerach came the Alilaei Jerach 4. a people inhabiting near the Red Sea Jerachaei in Hebrew and Alilaei in Arabick being the Sons of Jarlach Hilal or the Moon Hadoram 5. Uzal 6. 16. From Hadoram issued the Drimanti placed by Pâ—iny upon the Persian gulfe near the Macae From Uzal the Inhabitants of the Kingdom of Alieman in the eastern part of Arabia seem to be descended Sanaa the Metropolis being by the Jews still called Uzal Dicklah 7. Dicla in the Chaldaean and Syrian tongues signifying a Palm from him must that part of Arabia have been called wherein that Tree most grows inhabited by the Minaei Obal 8. Obal in the Arabian tongue Aubal and Abal seemeth to have passed over the gulf into Arabia Troglodytica and to have given name to the mart-Town and Bay of Abalites or Analites Abimael 9. Abimael was the Father of the Malitae whom Theophrastus maketh to have inhabited one of the four Regions fruitfull in spices Shebah 10. Of Seba came the Sabaeans properly so called named also Sabatae who dwelt by the Red Sea betwixt the Minaeans and Catâ—banes which Nations also together with the Chatramotae are by Writers often included amongst the Sabaeans Besides this Seba there were three others of that name and founders of Nations As (o) Gen. 10.7 one the Son of Chus another his Nephew by Ragmah and the (p) Gen. 25.3 third the Son of Jockshan and Nephew of Abraham Seba the Son of Joctan joyned to the Arabian Sea the rest to the Persian so that the Sabaeans of whom the Greeks and Romans know no distinction are said by Pliny to live from Sea to Sea The Son of Joksan lived on robberie but the rest by Commerce with other Nations Ophir in Arabick Ophir 11. Auphar signifying most rich gave name to that part of Arabia near the Sabaeans which was inhabited by the Cessanitae Casandres or Gasandrae so called from the Treasures gold for it's plenty being here in little request Another Ophir there was also in India in the Island Taprobane as most probable the Phoenicians being accustomed to give old names to new-found places Hauilah 11. From Chauila the Son of Joctan for there was another of this name Son to Chus descended the Chaulonitae called otherwise Carbi and Cerbani the most warlike of the Arabians whose seat is yet called Chaulan Jobab 13. Of Jobab the last of the thirteen came the Jobabitae placed by Ptolomy next to the Sachalites This was the habitation of the Sons of Irelan from Mesha called otherwise Musa and Muza a famous port upon the Red Sea as one goeth to Saphar a mountain Eastward where was a City of the same name both Port and City being well known to the Aegyptians and Aethiopians who used to trade into these parts This was the inheritance of the Sons of Sem the choisest of all though contained onely within Asia Japthet's portion 17. To Japhet fell a very considerable part of Asia and all Europe the least of the divisions of the Earth but better improved than the rest and far more populous of later times the seat of learning of two Empires which extended their power to the inwards both of Asia and Africa and in an especial manner blessed with more than worldly prosperity since Japhet dwelt in the tents of Sem. The Greeks acknowledged him for their Founder by the name of Iapetus Iapetus Japhet's 7. Sons Gomer 1. than whom they thought nothing more ancient Moses reckoneth seven of his Sons and as many Nephews The Sons are (q) Gen. 10.2 Gomer Magog Madai Javan Tubal Meshech and Titas Josephus maketh Gomer the Father of the Galatians which if so the same Originall must be extended to the Gauls of whom the other were but a colonie and to some the names of Cimmerii and Cimbri whereby the Inhabitants of the Western parts have been known as also those of Kumero Kumeri and Cymbro which our antient Brittains of the same stock with the Gauls called themselves seem to own no other originall Bochartus lib. 3. cap. 8. But another thinketh the Land of Gomer to be that part of Phrygia called Catecaucemene lying upon the rivers Cayster and Maeander and the City Philadelphia the Plains of which consist of a burnt kind of Earth like to ashes and the hilly parts are all stonie the whole Country being brittle adust and easie to be inflamed This he gathereth from the signification of Gomer and Phrygia both which import burning Moses according to his judgment not alwaies calling the Founders of Nations by their true and proper names but by the names of the Countries which they planted Ever when the word is of the plural number as of the Sons of Javan Citthim and Rodauim and all the Sons of Mâ—scaim and Canaan except Sidon and Heth must needs be names of peoples nor of particular Men. Hatsarmaueth he proveth to be the name of a place onely for that it signifieth the region of Death as Dikla a place of Palm-trees Ophir a rich Jobab so called from the desart and severall others Gomer's three Sons Askenaz 1. 18. Gomer hath three Sons mentioned by Moses Ashkenaz Riphath and Togarmah From Ashkenaz those descended according to Josephus by the Greeks called Rhegines which who they were is not to be understood Most probably by Ashkenaz is signified Bithynia in which is the Bay Ascanius besides a Lake and River of the same name or Troas and Phrygia the lesse in which were Ascanea both Country and City and Island Ascaniae Form Riphat Riphath 2. Togarmah 3. Josephus deriveth the Paphlagonians a people of Asia the lesse near Pontus and neighbours to the Phrygians Togarma is variously expounded by Writers It appeareth out of Ezekiel (r) chap. 58. chap. 27. v. 14. that Gomer and Togarma were not far distant both North of Judaea and that from Togarmah came Horses and Mules to be sold at Tyre Hereto well agreeth the opinion of Josephus who placeth Togarmah
two Laws from Vesta Zathraustes amongst the Arimaspians from a good Doemon Mneves amongst the Egyptians from Mercury Minos the Cretian from Jupiter Lycurgus the Lacedaemonian from Apollo and Numa the Roman from the Goddesse Egeria To this number * Biblioth l. 1. p. 59. B. in Margine Notat Diodorus out of Ethnick ignorance addeth Moses himself writing that he counterfeited conference with the god Jaus 5. But the people missing Moses so long a time and not knowing what was become of him raised a tumult and caused Aaron to make them a god that might go before them The Hebrews have a Tradition that Hur opposing this was slain but Aaron overcome with their furious importunity made them a molten Calf of Gold The molten Calf after the fashion of the Egyptians who Worshipped two Heifers Apis and Mnevis which they accounted gods Fourty dayes and as many nights being ended God gave Moses two Tables of stone wherein was written the Decalogue by his own finger Chap. 31. c. and sent him down telling him wherein his people were employed Moses something appeasing Gods wrath came down from the Mount SECT 2. but seeing them dance before the Calf in a great rage cast the Tables out of his hands and brake them He put the Calf into the fire and grinding it to pouder threw it into the Brook and made them to drink of the water then commanded the Levites to take every man his sword and slay his Neighbour so that of the people fell that day about 3000 men After this going up into the Mount the second time he interceded for the people and at his return removed the Tabernacle or Tent wherein he used to speak with God out of the Camp in token of the Lords displeasure He hewed two new Tables of stone like to the former and having given order for the making of an Ark of Wood and all things about the Tabernacle according to the pattern shewed him in the Mount he went up the third time and continued there fourty dayes and as many nights without eating any thing as before In this time God wrote anew the ten Commandments and being pacified renewed the league conditionally and proposed other Laws to the people When Moses returned his face shone so that he put thereon a vail when he spake to the multitude to which he declared Gods commands urged the observation of the Sabbath and the offering for making of the Tabernacle in the work whereof the latter part of this year was spent by Bezaleel and his Companions The Tabernacle reared 6. On the first day of the first moneth of the second year Chap. 40. was the Tabernacle reared and in this moneth were these things done which are spoken of in the third book of Moses called Leviticus On the fourteenth day was the passeover celebrated in the Wildernesse of Sinai Num. 19. On the first of the second moneth God commanded Moses to number all the Israelites Num. 1. except the Tribe of Levi from twenty years old to sixty the number of whom amounted to 603550. just so many as had been found seven moneths before when the contribution was to be made for the Tabernacle Chap. 10. On the 20th of the same moneth the Cloud which rested on the Tabernacle removed and they following it in four Armies came from the Wildernesse of Sinai to that of Paraâ— where they stayed 23 dayes in their 13th Mansion of Kibroth-Hattaavah Here the people weary of their Heavenly bread Chap. 23. lusted after the flesh of Egypt and were punished with a sudden fire which devoured many and was at length quenched by the prayer of Moses Chap. 11. Here also Moses complaining to God of the great burthen which lay upon him The Sanhedrim the Sanhedrim of the seventy Elders was instituted In this place moreover God gave the people Quailes for a whole moneth on which they surfeited so that a plague arose whil'st the flesh was yet betwixt their teeth and many perished Hence the place had its name of Kibroth-Hattaavah or the Sepulchers of concupiscence 7. From Kibroth-Hattaavah they removed to Hazeroth Chap. 12. where Aaron and Miriam spake against Moses about his wife Miriam struck with Leprosie Miriam for that was struck with Leprosie and cast out of the Camp till Aaron confessing their fault and interceding to Moses for her he prayed to God and she was healed She being after seven dayes received again into the Camp they removed Chap. 13. and came to Rithma near unto Cades-barnea in the same desart of Paran In the fifth moneth of the second year and the time of Vintage Caleb the son of Jephunne Joshua the son of Nun and ten other principal men were hence sent to spy the Land of Canaan The Spies search the Land After fourty dayes they returned bringing with them of the fruit of the Land Caleb and Joshuah incouraged the people but the rest utterly disheartned them causing them to dispair ever to possesse it because of the strength of the walled Towns and the Gyants which there lived This raised such a mutiny that they not onely murmured against Moses but spake of making them a Captain Chap. 14. and of returning into Egypt threatning to stone Caleb and Joshua who laboured to the contrary This so highly provoked the Lord that he threatned suddenly to destroy them and being prevailed with by Moses to mitigate his wrath denounced that none of twenty years and upwards should ever enter into the promised Land but wander up and down till their Carkeises fell in the Wildernesse except Caleb and Joshua And this sentence was presently executed upon the ten which had caused the sedition 8. When they had therefore now arrived at the borders of the promised Land they were commanded to turn back again into the Wildernesse towards the Red Sea But to make some amends as they thought for their late fear and cowardise The Israelites commanded to turn back they arose in the morning and against the expresse command of Moses went up into the Mountain to fight where the Amalekites and Canaanites that there inhabited smote and discomfited them even unto Hormah At their return they wept before the Lord but were not heard and upon this occasion and the death of those that fell daily in the Desart Moses as it 's thought composed the 90 Psalm wherein complaining of Humane frailty and shortnesse of life he signifieth that Man's age was reduced to 70 or 80 years and so now the third time was it as it were cut shorter by the halfe the two former having been immediatly after the Flood and again in the time of Phaleg at the division of the Earth 9. Thenceforth from their departure from Cades-Barnea are numbred 17 more stations in the Wildernesse of Paran wherein they spent 38 years wandring about till all the rebellious ones were consumed The things which hapned in those years cannot certainly
Chron. 19 20 21. chap. travelling himself from Beersheba unto Mount Ephraim to accomplish it he also constituted Judges to whom he gave a pious and strict charge After this the Moabites Ammonites and a great multitude of others invaded him against which he first strove by Prayer to God and thereby obtained Victory his Enemies being so stricken with madnesse that they fell upon and slaughtered one another Afterwards intending to send Ships for gold to Ophir because he joyned with wicked Ahaziah King of Israel the Lord spoiled the works and the Ships were broken at Esion-geber Some think he made his Son Partner in the Kingdom it self having formerly been but his Vicegerent a year or two before he died He reigned 25 years or rather 24 with some odd months Joram 6. To Jehosaphat succeeded Joram being 32 years old 2 Chron. 21. A. M. 3109. to the best Father the worst Son who being established in his Seat made away all his Brethren and some of the Princes In his dayes the Edomites or Idumaeans who hitherto from the time of David had been in subjection to the Kings of Judah revolted They had heretofore been governed by a Vice-Roy chosen either out of themselves or the Jews but now they made themselves a King the Prophecie of Isaac the common Progenitor of both Nations being now fulfilled that though Esau should serve his younger Brother Jacob yet the time should come when he should break the yoak from off his neck Gen. 27.40 At the same time Libnah a City of the Priest's in the Tribe of Judah revolted because he had forsaken the God of his Fathers for having married Ahab's Daughter he followed the example of his house making high-places in the Mountains of Iudah and causing his Sujects to commit Idolatry therein Because of this 2 Chron. 21. vers 12. there came a Writing to him from the Prophet Elijah rebuking him for his sin and foretelling his punishment Elijah being before this taken up to Heaven the Jews have believed that this Letter was sent down thence Some think there was another Prophet of this name but most are inclined to believe that foreseeing before his assumption the Idolatry of this man he left this Letter with his Schollers to be delivered to him in due time According to the threatnings therein contained God first stirred up against him the Philistins and Arabians who making an invasion took away all his goods his wives and sons except Jehoahaz the youngest otherwise called Ahaziah and Azariah Afterwards God struck him with an incurable disease in his bowels which after two years came out of his body so that he miserably died having reigned eight years three whereof are to be reckoned in conjunction with his father He was buried without honour at Jerusalem not in the Sepulcher of Kings not desired missed nor lamented Ahaziah A. M. 3116. 7. 2 Kings 8. 2 Chron. 22. Ahaziah his son succeeded him who followed the steps of his Grand-father Ahab's wicked family and became a Patron of Idolaters But having scarce reigned one year he went down to Jezreel to visite his Uncle Joram King of Israel where they were both killed by Jehu 2 Kings 9. Joram being slain outright and Ahaziah dying shortly after of his wound at Megiddo Athaliah his mother seized upon the Kingdom Athaliah usurpeth Chap. 11. 2 Chron. 24. wherein to establish her self she destroyed all the Royal seed Onely Jehosheba the daughter of Joram and wife to Jehojada the High-Priest withdrew Joash an infant her brother's son and hid him six years in the house of God At the end of these years Jehojada brought him out to the people then seven years old and anointing him King slew Athaliah restored the worship of God and destroyed the house of Baal whose Priest Matthan he slew before the Altar Joas 8. Joas then succeeded his father after six years 2 Kings 12. A. M. 3122. who did what was good and just as long as Jehojada the Priest lived and through his advice took care to repair the Temple which now had stood 155 years But Jehojada being dead who lived 130 years the Jews observing that he the repairer of the Temple was born the same year that the builder thereof died Idolatry brake out afresh through his connivance The Prophets exclaimed against it in vain especially Zacharias the son and successor of Jehojada against whom Joas was so far transported beyond the bound's of piety gratitude to his father's memory that he commanded him to be stoned and that in the Court of the house of the Lord. Whil'st as he died he said The Lord look upon it and requite it So he did for after a years time the forces of Hazael King of Syria though but small invaded Judah destroyed all the Princes of the people and sent the spoyl to their King Joas himself they left very sick of great diseases but when they were departed from him his own servants conspired against him for the bloud of the sons of Jehojada the Priest and slew him on his bed in the 40th year of his reign A. M. 3160. 9. Amaziah his son succeeded him Chap. 14. who also seemeth to have reigned with him the three last years seeing he is said to have begun his reign in the second year of Joas King of Israel When he was confirmed in his seat 2 Chron. 25. A. M. 3160. he put those to death that slew his father sparing their Children according to the Law of Moses In his 12th year he undertook an expedition against the Edomites with 300000 of his own Subjects and 100000 Israelites which he hired for 100 Talents of silver But as he was about to begin his march a Prophet dehorted him from joyning to himself the Idolatrous Israelites so that he dismissed them and they returned home in great discontent He prospered against the Idumaeans but the Souldiers dismissed fell upon his Cities and smiting 300 of them took much spoyl Yet he at his return to amend the matter having brought home the gods of the Edomites set them up to be his gods bowed down before them and burnt incense to them The Lord being sore angry for this sent first a Prophet to him whom he rejected But burning with a desire to be revenged upon the Israelites he sent and defied Joas their King who admonished him to be well advised but this being in vain they met and joyned battel wherein Amaziah was taken and led back to Jerusalem the Wall of which Citie Joas demolished 400 Cubits and plundering the house of the Lord with the Kings house then departed Fifteen years after Amaziah lived but then having turned away from following the Lord a conspiracy was made against him in Ierusalem whence he fled to Lachish and there was slain by the pursuers after he had reigned 29 years Uzziah 10. He left a son named Uzziah and Azariah who succeeded him 2 Kings 15. but being