Gentiles, and thofe Jews which were unclean. But this Divifion does not fufficiently appear to be of divine Ap pointment, though it must be confeffed the Partition-Wall in Eph. ii. 14. feems to refer to it.

6 Q. In what Form did he build it?

A. In Imitation of the Tabernacle of Mofes and the Court thereof, but with vaft and univerfal Improvement in Grandeur and Riches, and Magnificence of it, by the Pattern that David his Father received from God, and gave to him, 1 Chron. xxii. 5. and xxviii. 11. 19.

7 Q. On what Spot of Ground did he build it?

A. On Mount Moriah, not very far from Mount Zion in Jerufatem: It was the Place where Abraham was called to offer his Son Ifaac, and where God appeared to David when he stopped the Peftilence,,› 2 Chron. iii. I. and Gen. xxii. 2. and gave him a miraculous Token of his Acceptance, by Fire from. Heaven confuming his Sacrifice, 1 Chron. xxi. 26,

Note, Though the Temple was built on Mount Mo- 1 siah, yet the Name of Zion is ftill preferved by the fol lowing holy Writers as the Place of the Sanctuary; partly because David had written fo much in his Pfalms Concerning Zion, where the Ark and Tabernacle flood in his Days, and made the Name familiar to the People; and partly becaufe Zion was literally the City of David, and in a typical Senfe, the City or Refidence of Chrift. And indeed Zion and Moriah may be accounted but two diftinct Heads of the fame Mountain; and though there was a Valley between them, Salomon joined them by a Bridge, that he might eafily pafs from his Palace ins Zion to the Temple. Jofephus makes mention of it more

than once.

8Q. How did Solomon dedicate this Temple to God?

A. By

A. By affembling all the Men of Ifrael, by bringing thither the Ark and the holy Things from Zion, by a devout Prayer to God, by Mufick and Praifes, by. a Feaft of feven Days, and a vaft Number of Sacrifices, 1 Kings viii. and 2 Chron. vi, and vii. 3

9 Q. In what Manner did God fnew his Approbation of it?

A. He filled the Houfe with a Cloud of Glory, tó reprefent his taking Poffeffion of it; he fent Fire down from Heaven to confume the Sacrifices, and he appeared in the Night to Solomon, and affured him be had heard his Prayer, and chofen that Place for a Houfe of Sacrifice to himself, 2 Chron. vii. 1, 2, 3, 12.

10Q Wherein did God bless the Reign of Solomon? A. By giving him prodigious Treafures and magnificent State, and spreading the Fame of his Greats, nef. and Wisdom over all Nations, 1 Kings x.

11 Q. What peculiar Honours were done to him on this Account?

A. The Princes round about him coveted his Friendfhip, and gave him their Afifiance and many Prefents, and the Queen of Sheba came to vilit him, 1 Kings ix, and x.

12 Q. What Satisfaction did she find in this Vifit? A. She was aftonished at the Sight of his Grandeur and Wifdom, and confeffed that the one half of it was not told her, 1 Kings x. 1-10.

13 Q. Wherein did Solomon difplease God afterwards?

A. In Procefs of Time he forgot his great Obligations to God, he took Wives and Concubines in Mulcitudes, and that out of the Idolatrous Nations and by them his Heart was fo far led away for other Gods, that he built Places of Worship for them very near Jerufalem, and offered Sacrifices to them. See 1 Kings xi. I-9.

E 4

14. Qe

14 Q. How did God punish him for it?

A. He firred up feveral Enemies against him, and particularly foroboam, his own Servant. See 1 Kings xi. 14, 23, 26.

15 Q: What was Jeroboam's own Pretence for difturbing the Government?

A. The building of fome expensive Palaces for Pharaoh's Daughter, who was his Queen, and the raifing heavy Taxes for that and other Buildings, 1 Kings ix. 24. xi. 27. xii. 4.

Note, Jeroboam doth not appear to charge Solomon with promoting Idolatry, or with breaking the Laws of God in divine Worfhip; for he himself did fo afterwards when he was King of Ifrael, which was a high Provocation in the Eyes of God both in Solomon and Jeroboam.

16 Q. And bow far did God encourage Jeroboam, in this Oppofition to Solomon ?

A. Abijab the Prophet being fent of God, caught hold of Jeroboam's Garment when he met him in the Field, and rent it into twelve Pieces, and gave ten of them to Jeroboam, 1 Kings xi. 29, &c.

17 Q. What was the Meaning of this ?

A. The Prophet told him, that God had given him ten of the Tribes of Ifrael, and had left the Pofterity of Solomon one Tribe, i. e. Judah and Ben jamin, which were afterwards united into one under the Name of Jews, 1 Kings xi, 31. and xii. 20, 21, and 2 Chron. xi. 12.

18. Q. Was this fulfilled in Solomon's Days?

A. No; for it plealed God to with hold thefe Calamities from the Houfe of Solomon till the Days of his Son, ver. 23.

19 Q. Did Solomon ever repent of his Sins that provoked the Anger of God against him?

A. It is generally fuppofed that the Book of Ec

clefiaftes

clefiaftes is a Sort of Proof that Solomon repented, becaufe he there defcribes the Vanity of every Labour and every Enjoyment under the Sun, and fums up all in the Fear of God, and keeping his Commandments, as the whole Duty and chief Interest of Man, Ecclef. i. and ii. and xii. 13, 14.

20 Q. How long did Solomon reign?

4. Forty Years, and though he had fuch a fhameful Number of Wives and Concubines, yet he left but one Son behind him, whofe Name was Rehoboam, to fucceed him in the Kingdom of Ifrael, 1 Kings xi. 3 43.

21 Q. What was the Character of Rehoboam?

4. Though Solomon had written fo many excellent Leffons of Morality and Piety for his Son in the Book of Proverbs, and given him so many Warnings, yet he followed evil Courses; and Solomon himself feems to intimate it in the Book of Ecclefiaftes, Chap. ii. 19. Who knoweth whether his Son will be a wife Man or a Fool ?

22 Q. What further Occafion did Rehoboam give for the Revolt of the Tribes of Ifrael from him?

4. Upon the Death of his Father, and his Acceffion to the Throne, he defpifed the Counsel of rold Men, and hearkened to the Advice of rafh young Men, he threatened the Nation of Israel to make their Yoke heavier than his Father had done; that is, to lay heavier Taxes upon them, 1 Kings xii. 8. &c.

23 Q. What followed upon this Threatening of King Rehoboam?

A. All the Tribes of Ifrael, except Judah and Benjamin, made Jeroboam their King: and thus the Nation was divided into two Kingdoms, which were afterwards called the Kingdom of Judah, and the Kingdom of Ifrael, 1 Kings xii. 15, 20. 2 Chron. xi.

11, 12,

CHAP. XI.

Of the Kings of ISRA E L.

1. Q. HOW many Kings reigned over Ifrael after they were feparated from Judah?

A. These nineteen, and not one of them were gcod; Jeroboam the firft, Nadab, Baashah, Elah, Zimri, Omri, Ahab, Abaziah, Jehoram, Jehu, Jeboabaz, Joah, Jeroboam the fecond, Zachariah, Shallum, Menahem, Pekabiah, Pekah and Hofbea.

2. Q. Who were the most remarkable among thefet Kings of Ifrael

A Jeroboam the fift, Omri, Ahab, Abaziah, Fed bu, Joafh, Pekah and Hofhea.

3 Q. What was the chief Character and Grime of Jeroboam qu

?

A. Inftead of worshipping God who dwelt between s the Cherubs in the Temple at Jerufalem, he made? two golden Images which are called Calves, and fet them up in two diftant Parts of the Land of Ifrael, (viz.) Dan and Bethel, and taught the People to worfhip before them, 1 Kings xii. 28 30. 2

4 Q. What was the Worship he appointed?

A. Something like the Worfhip which God ap pointed at Jerufalem, with an Altar, and Pricfts, and Sacrifices, and Incenfe, ver. 32..

5 Q Wherein did it differ from the Worship at Jerufalem+

A. Befides the forfaking of the Temple and the Place which God appointed, he alfo made Priefts of the loweft of the People, inftead of the Sons of Levi, and ordained Feafts at a different Time from that which God had appointed, and fet up the Images of 2 Calves to reprefent the Prefence of God, ver. 23, 32%. and 2 Chron. xi. 6. and xii. 13. and xiii. 8, 9.

Note,