The history of the world

§. II. The end of VZZIA his Raigne and life.

AS the zeale of Iehoiada, that godly Priest, was the meane, to preserue the linage of Dauid, in the person of Ioas; so it appeares, that the care [unspec 30] of holy men was not wanting to Vzzia, to bring him vp, and aduance him to the Crowne of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, when the hatred borne to his Father A∣mazia, had endangered his succession. For it is said of Vzzia, That hee sought God in the dayes of ZECHARIA (which vnderstood the visions of God) and when* 1.1 as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper.

But, when he was strong, his heart was lifted vp to his destruction: for hee trangressed* 1.2 against the Lord his God, and went into the Temple of the Lord to burne incense, vpon the Altar of incense. Thus he thought to enlarge his owne authoritie, by medling in the Priests office, whose power had in euery extremitie beene so helpefull to the Kings of Iuda, that meere gratitude, and ciuill policie, should haue held backe Vzzia [unspec 40] from incroching thereupon; yea, though the Law of God had beene silent in this case, and not forbidden it. Howsoeuer the King forgot his dutie, the Priests re∣membred theirs, and God forgat not to assist them. Azaria the high Priest inter∣rupted the Kings purpose, and gaue him to vnderstand, how little to his honour it would proue, that he tooke vpon him the office of the sonnes of Aaron. There were with Azaria fourescoure other Priests, valiant men, but their valour was shewed on∣ly in assisting the high Priest, when (according to his dutie) hee reprehended the Kings presumption. This was 〈◊〉〈◊〉, the rest God himselfe performed. Wee find in Iosephus, that the King had apparelled himselfe in Priestly habit, and that hee* 1.3 threatned Azarias and his Companions, to punish them with death, vnlesse they [unspec 50] would be quiet. Iosephus, indeed, inlargeth the Storie, by inserting a great Earth∣quake, which did teare downe halfe an Hill, that rowled 〈◊〉〈◊〉 furlongs, till it rested against another Hill, stopping vp the high-wayes, and spoyling the Kings Garden in the passage. With this Earth quake, he sayth, that the roofe of the Temple did

cleaue, and that a Sunne-beame did light vpon the Kings face, which was presently infected with leprosie. All this may haue beene true; and some there are who thinke that this Earth-quake is the same, which is mentioned by the Prophet Amos; where∣in they doe much misse-reckon the times. For the Earth-quake spoken of by Amos, was in the daies of Ieroboam King of Israel, who dyed seuen and thirtie yeeres before Vzzia; so that Iotham the Sonne of Vzzia, which supplyed his Fathers place in go∣uernment of the Land should, by this accompt, haue beene then vnborne: for hee was but fiue and twentie yeeres old, when hee beganne to raigne as King. There∣fore, thus farre only wee haue assurance; that while VZZIA was wroth with the* 1.4 Priests, the leprosie rose vp in his forehead, before the Priests. Hereupon he was caused, [unspec 10] in all haste, to depart the place, and to liue in a house by himselfe, vntill he dyed; the rule ouer the Kings house, and ouer all the Land, being committed to Iotham, his Sonne, and Successor. Iotham tooke not vpon himselfe the stile of King, till his Fa∣ther was dead; whom they buried in the same field wherein his Ancestors lay inter∣red, yet in a Monument a-part from the rest, because he was a Leper.

Notes

• * 1.1

  2. Chron. 26. 5.
• * 1.2

  V. 16.
• * 1.3

  Ios. ant. l. 9. c. 11.
• * 1.4

  2. Chron. 26. 20.