Friends for afferting that God would never afflict any innocent Man fo much as Job was afflicted, yet he feverely reproved Job for infifting fo much on his own Innocence before God, Chap. xxxii. &c.

16 Q. What was the Foundation of Elihu's Argument on this Occafion?

A. The fupreme Majefty and Holiness of God, the Meanness and Sinfulness of the best of Men in his Sight, his fovereign Dominion over all Things, and the Unfearchableness of his Wifdom and Conduct toward Men, Chap. xxxiii. and xxxvi. &c.

17 Q. How did God himself manifeftly engage in deciding this Controverfy? A. He greatly confirmed the Sentiments and Opinions of Elihu, by afferting and displaying his own fupreme Wisdom and Power, his Grandeur and Dominion over all Things, by a Voice out of the Whirlwind, Chap. xxxv. &c..

18 Q. What Effect had this upon his Servant Job? A. Fob confefled his Folly, abhorred himself for his Sin under the Apprehenfion of the Holiness and the Majefty of God, and repented in Dust and Ashes, Job xlii. 1-6.

19 Q. How did God deal with the three Friends of Job?

A. He difapproved of their falle Accufations of Job, and their wrong Sentiments concerning God himself and his Conduct, and bid them offer a Sa crifice of Atonement, and Job to pray for them, ver. 7, 8.

20 Q. What Tokens of Approbation and Favour did God fhew to Job?

A. While Job prayed for his Friends, God re Jeafed him from all his Afflictions, and afterward gave him ten Children, as he had at first, he doubled his Eftate, and prolonged his Life to four Generatia ons, Chap. xlii. 10-17.

CHAP.

The History of JONAH.

iQ. WHO was Jonah ?

A. A Prophet who lived about the Time of Jeroboam the fecond King of Ifrael, Jonah i. 1. 2 Kings xiv. 25. There is no Need of particular Citations of Chapter and Verfe for the Hiftory of Jonah, fince the whole is contained in four fhort Chapters.

2Q. Whither did God fend him?

A. He was fent to Nineveh, to pronounce Destruction upon that great City for their Wickedness. 3Q. How did Jonah difobey God?

A. He took fhipping and fled toward Tarshish, from the Prefence of the Lord, because he fuppofed that the Mercy of God would fpare Nineveh after he had pronounced Deftruction upon it, and then he fhould be counted a falfe Prophet.

4 Q. What befel him in this Voyage?

A. There arofe a terrible Tempeft, which endangered the Ship; and Jonah being confcious of his own Guilt, advised the Sailors to caft him into the Sea, and then the Storm ceased.

5Q. What became of Jonah?

4. A great Fith fwallowed him up, and he continued in the Bowels of the Fith three Days and three Nights.

6 Q. Did he ever come to the Shore again?

A. At his Repentance and earneft Prayer, God commanded the Fish to vomit out Jonah upon the dry Land, Jonah ii.

Q. What Service did God affign to Jonah after. this great Deliverance?

A. He fent him the fecond Time to Nineveh, to preach Destruction against it within forty Days, Jonah iii.

8 Q. What Effect had his Preaching upon the People?

A. The King and the People put on Sackcloth, mourned for their Sins, turned from their evil Ways, and cried mightily to God for Mercy, whereupon God with-held the Punishment which he threatened. 9 Q. How did Jonah refent this merciful Dealing of God with Nineveh ?

A. He feared he should be counted a falfe Prophet, and in an angry Temper defired God to take away his Life, Jonah iv.

10 Q. What did God do to convince him of the Unreafonableness of his Anger?

A. He made a Gourd grow up in a Night, which fheltered him from the Heat of the Sun, and he caused it to wither the next Day; upon which Jonah murmured against God.

11 Q. How did God argue with Jonah upon this. Occurrence?

A. God reproved the Prophet, that he should be fo much concerned about a Gourd, a fenfelefs Plant which grew up in one Night, and only afforded him fome Conveniency of Life; and that he should be no more concerned about the Lives of fo great and populous a City, which befides Men and Women had above fixfcore thoufand Children in it.

С НА Р.

CHA P. XVI.

The Hiftory of JEREMIAH.

HO was Jeremiah?

IQ. WHO

A. One of the Priests in the Land of Benjamin, whom God called to be a Prophet when he was very young, in the Days of Jofiah King of Judah, Jer. i. 1—7.

2 Q. What Encouragement had he when he was fa young to pronounce the Judgments of God against the People?

A. God put forth his Hand and touched his Mouth to fignify his divine Inspiration, and promifed his Prefence with him to deliver him from all that should oppofe him, ver. 7-19.

3 Q. What was the chief Meffage with which Jeremiah was fent to the People, and to the Princes and Kings of Judah?

A. That Jerufalem fhould be deftroyed, and the People and Princes fhould be carried away captive into Babylon, because of their Sins, and remain there feventy Years. From Chap. vii. to xxv. ver. 11, 12. 4. By what Method did Jeremiah fet before them their Sins and thefe Judgments of God?

A. By fome very plain and direct Speeches, by an Example of the Rechabites fet before them, and by some Parables or Emblems.

5 Q. How did Jeremiah fhew them the Heinoufness of their Sins by a View of the Example of the Rechabites?

A. Since all the Family of Rechab abstained from Wine, which is no unlawful Liquor, merely because Fonadab

H

fonadab their Father forbid them; much more hould the Jews have abstained from those Practices which are utterly unlawful, when the God of Ifrael had forbid them, Jer. xxxv.

6 Q. What were fome of the Emblems by which God ordered Jeremiah to foretel their Calamities?

A. A Linen Girdle, a Potter's Veffel, an Earthen Bottle, Yokes of Wood and of Iron, &c.

7. Q. What was defigned by the Linen Girdle? A. Jeremiah was commanded to hide it in the Hole of a Rock near the River Euphrates, and when he fought it again, it was quite spoiled; fo God decreed to fpoil the Pride of Jerufalem by the Nation that dwelt near Euphrates, i. e. Affyria, Jer. xiii.

8 Q. What was intended by the Potter's Veffel?

A. As when the Veflel of Clay was fpoiled in the making, the Form of it was changed, and it was moulded up into another Vellel, as the Potter pleafed; fo God declared his Power over the House of Ifrael, to manage and difpofe of them as he pleased, and that he would change his Providences and their State, according to their Behaviour, Jer. xviii.

9 Q. What further Lesson was taught by an Earthen Bottle?

A. Jeremiah was commanded to break the Bottle in the Sight of the Priefts and the Elders, and to declare, Thus faith the Lord, even fo will I break this Nation and this City, that it shall not be made whole again, Jer. xix.

10 Q. What did Jeremiah teach them by the Emblems of Bonds and Yokes?

A. In the Days of Jehoiakim King of Judah, God commanded Jeremiah to make Bonds and Yokes and put them upon his own Neck, and then to fend them to the Kings of the Nations round about, to

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