John Trapp on Matthew 1:9

Verse 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 Ahaz] A sturdy stigmatick, a branded rebell. The more he was distressed, the more he trespassed. This Humiliantar, & humiles non sunt, [illegible: 1 word]. in [illegible: 1 word] 34. is that Ahaz, 2 Chron. 28. 22. How many (now adaies) are humbled, yet not humble? Low, but not lowly? Qui nec fractis cervicibus inclinantur, as Hieron complaineth: quos multo facilius In Epist. fregeris, quam flexeris, as another hath it. These are like [illegible: 2 words], capi non [illegible: 1 word]. Plin. the [illegible: 1 word] called Monoceros, who may be kild, but not caught. Plectimur a Deo, saith Salvian, nec flectimur tamen: corripimur, sed non corrigimur. But if men harden their hearts against correction: God will harden his hand, and hasten their destruction. Ahaz begat Hezekiah] Who stands betwixt his father Ahaz, and his sonne Manasseh, as a lily between two thornes, or as a Fuller between two [illegible: 1 word]: or, as that wretched Cardinall of Toledo in his preface before the Bible, printed at Complutum in Spain, said; that he set the Vulgar Latine betwixt the Hebrew and Greek, as Christ was set betwixt two theeves. Here observe (by the way) that Judah had some enterchange of good Princes; Israel, none: and that, under religious Princes the people were ever religious: as under wicked Princes, wicked. Most people will [illegible: 1 word]. be of the Kings religion, be it what it will be, as the Melchites were of old, and the Papists still, if M. Rogers (our Protomartyr in Q. Maries daies) may be beleeved. The Papists, saith he, apply themselves to the present state: yea, if the state should change ten times in the year, they would ever be ready at hand to change with it, and so follow the cry, and rather utterly forsake God, and be of no Religion, then that they would forgoe lust or living, [illegible: 1 word]. and Mon. for God or Religion.