And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias;
Ver. 9. And Ozias begat Joatham] A pious prince, but not very prosperous. Grace is not given to any as a target against outward affliction.
And Joatham begat Achaz] A sturdy stigmatic, a branded rebel. The more he was distressed, the more he trespassed. "This is that Ahaz," 2 Chronicles 28:22. How many (today) are humbled, yet not humble! low, but not lowly! Humiliantur, et humiles non sunt (Bern. in Cantic.). Qui nec fractis cervicibus inclinantur, as Jerome complaineth: quos multo facilius fregeris quam flexeris, as another hath it. These are like the creature called Monoceros, who may he killed, but not caught. Interimi potest, capi non potest (Plin.). Plectimur a Deo, saith Salvian, nec flectimur tamen: corripimur, sed non corrigimar. But if men harden their hearts against correction, God will harden his hand, and hasten their destruction.
Achaz begat Ezekias] Who stands between his father Ahaz and his son Manasseh, as a lily between two thorns, or as a fuller between two colliers; or as that wretched Cardinal of Toledo in his Preface before the Bible, printed at Complutum in Spain, said that he set the Vulgate Latin between the Hebrew and Greek as Christ was set between two thieves. Here observe (by the way) that Judah had some interchange of good princes, Israel none; and that under religious princes the people were ever religious; under wicked princes, wicked. Most people will be of the king's religion, whatever that may be, as the Melchites were of old (Nicephorus), and the Papists still, if Mr Rogers (our protomartyr in Queen Mary's days) may be believed. The Papists, saith he, apply themselves to the present state, yea, if the state should change ten times in the year, they would be ever ready at hand to change with it, and so follow the cry, and rather utterly forsake God, and be of no religion, than that they would forego lust or living for God or religion (Acts and Mon.).