Ahaziah, his fon, entered into a strict friendship with Jehoram, king of Ifrael, and was involved in the fame judgment with him; for Jehu flew them both at the fame time. Upon his death, his mother Athaliah ufurped the throne; and, that fhe might poffefs it without oppofition, endeavoured to deftroy all his children. But Jehoah, an infant, was fecretly conveyed away by the wife of Jehoiada the highprieft; and after seven years Athaliah, who had filled the kingdom with murders and impieties, was flain, and the young prince placed upon the throne. His reign was flourishing and happy, while he was guided by Jehoiada: idolatry was banithed, and true religion was reftored: but upon the death of that good and prudent counsellor, he gave way to the infinuating perfuafions of bad men, and revived the worship of idols. His guilt was foon followed with punishment: he was conquered by the Syrians, vexed with fore difeafes, and at laft treacheroufly flain by his own fer

vants.

Before

Amaziah, having his father's exChrift ample and fate before his eyes, began 839. his reign with piety; but did not long continue in the fear and favour of God. A glorious victory which he obtained over

the Edomites, fwelled his heart with pride; and fo great was his infatuation, that he forfook God, the author of his fuccefs, and paid adoration to the idols of Edom, which could not deliver their own worshippers out of his hand. He was afterwards defeated by the king of Ifrael; and at last killed by his own fubjects.

Uzziah, who is alfo called Azariah, being feated on the throne, conducted himfelf with great wifdom and goodness, and was bleffed with fuccefs against the ne ghbouring nations. He repaired and fortified Jerufalem, and invented many inftruments and engines of war. He was alfo a great lover of husbandry, planting vines, and feeding many cattle. But his fuccefs proved his ruin; profperity corrupted his heart; elated with pride he ufurped the prieft's office, and offered to burn incenfe: but in the attempt was fuddenly ftricken with leprofy; upon which he retired to a private house, where he continued under the infection to the day of his death.

Before As Uzziah was rendered incapable Chrift of conducting public affairs, Jotham, 761. his fon, took the government into his hands; he inherited his father's virtues without his vices: he was religious towards God, and righteous towards man.

died in peace; and was fucceeded by his wicked fon Ahaz, who re-eftablifhed idol. atry; and after the abomination of the heathen, facrificed in the valley of the fons of Hinnom, and made his children pass through the fire to Moloch. Rezin king of Syria, and Pekah, king of Ifrael, attacked his kingdom in different parts, and carried away many captives and rich spoils. In his diftrefs, he trefpaffed yet more against the Lord; he even fhut up the doors of the temple, and entirely fuppreffed the worship of the Supreme Being; and went on in a courfe of fhocking profaneness, till he finished his inglorious reign in the thirty-fixth year of his age.

Before Hezekiah, his fon, having ob Chrift ferved the diftreffes of his country, 726. and confidered the fource of them, endeavoured to apply a proper remedy. He opened the temple, and restored divine worthip, according to the law of Mofes, He broke the images, cut down the groves, and cleanfed the city and the land from the pollution of idols. After feveral years of peace and profperity, he was feized with a fevere illness, and forewarned by the prophet Ifaiah to prepare for death, as it was beyond the power of human art to recover him. The king, being anxious for his

country, which the Affyrians were now invading, as well as from a natural aver fion to death, entreated for a longer life t and his fervent prayers were fuch powerful advocates with the Father of mercies, that jaiah was fent to affure him, that fifteen years thould be added to his life, and that his kingdom fhould be delivered from the Affyrians. The Lord, alfo, to convince him of the truth of this prophecy, caufed the fun (or at leaft the rays of it) to go back ten degrees upon a fundial in the palace. Sennacherib, the king of Affyria, had already made a rapid conqueft of the land of Judah; and as he drew near to Jerufalem, he fent an infamous blafphemous letter to the king. Hezekiah prepared for a vigorous defence; but at the fame time relied wholly upon the divine affiftance. He therefore fpread the letter before the Lord, and earneftly implored him to vindicate his honour, and rescue him and his people from the impending ruin. God heard his prayer; and while the proud and haughty conqueror was intending to ftorm the city, and already thought himfelf mafter of it, in that very night the angel of the Lord fmote in the camp of the dayrians an hundred fourfcore and five thou fand. Thus the time of extremity

was the time of mercy; and when all things. were defperate, the Lord faved Hezekiah; for he trusted in the Lord God of Ifrael, and clave unto him; and indeed, whofoever putteth his truft in the Lord, fhall never be confounded.

Before Hezekiah died in peace, univerChrift fally lamented, and was fucceeded 645. by his fon Manaffeh, who was as zealous to restore idolatry as his father had been to deftroy it: he abandoned himself to every kind of wickedness and cruelty, and filled the city with the blood of the priests and prophets of the Lord; but was stopped in his mad career by the Affyrians, who carried him in chains to Babylon. In 时 his affliction, however, he humbled himfelf greatly before the God of his fathers, who therefore mercifully reftored him to his liberty, and to his throne. Then Manaffeh knew that the Lord was God. He afterwards enjoyed a long and profperous reign, and fhewed his penitence and grati tude in a holy and religious life.

Before Amon, upon fucceeding to the Christ throne, took the former part of his 645. father's reign for his example, and did that which was evil in the fight of the Lord. The repentance and piety of Ma naffeh were forgotten, and the kingdom